A Thief in the Night
by mitchkat1
Summary: An elusive phantom thief has appeared and Rin is determined to put him behind bars, but things won't be that easy. Between catching Japan's greatest criminal and hanging out with her new friend, Len, life can get a little crazy. Everyone has their secrets and the mysterious phantom thief might be closer to Rin than she could have ever imagined.
1. Chapter 1

**Wow guys, it's been a long time, hasn't it? I haven't written anything Vocaloid related in a long time, but I'm back in action, at least for a little while. I've had a lot of story ideas, but haven't put anything to paper. I finally got around to some real writing again though, so here we are. A bit of perspective on this while we're here, the first time I wrote a fanfic was the summer before my freshmen year of high school. Now I'm going in the summer before my senior year. Crazy, right? Thanks to all the people that have continued to read my stories over the years. Even when I was inactive, I loved getting notifications that someone reviewed or favorited my stories. All that really means a lot to me.**

 **A bit of background before I start this new story. It is very clearly inspired by Detective Conan and Magic Kaito. If you've read or watch either of those, the similarities are quite blatant. Back in the beginning of June, I was looking for some anime to watch and I stumbled upon this gem of an anime called Magic Kaito 1412. I fell in love with it instantly and that's how I got hooked on Detective Conan too. Now, I've been reading Detective Conan nonstop and can't get enough of him and the Kaito Kid. And that's how this little fanfic was born.**

 **One more important note: The rewrite for a Tale of Two Hearts is still in progress. I only have a few more chapters left to fix. This rewrite will also have that epilogue that I promised however long ago. I plan on releasing that entire story at once in a few weeks, so look forward to that. There might also be a couple oneshots here and there. I'm thinking that I want to do a couple song fics, just for old times sake.**

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 **Rin's POV**

"Rin? Hey, Rin!" Miku yelled into my ear. "What?" I asked, a bit irritated. I set down my manga and gave a sigh. "You better be dying," I said. "The murderer was just about to be revealed." Miku frowned and crossed her arms. "Well, excuse me," she huffed. "I was going to ask you to borrow a pencil, but whatever." She sat down in her seat and turned away from me. If I didn't resolve this now, it would be an awkward day considering the two of us sat right next to each other in class. I grabbed a pencil from my bag and put in on Miku's desk. "Sorry," I said, bowing my head.

Miku turned back to me and smiled. "You're forgiven," she grinned, grabbing the pencil. She tricked me. She wasn't mad at all. She just wanted a pencil. "You know for a detective freak, you aren't very good at reading people," Miku laughed. Now it was my turn to frown. "It's only you," I explained. "I can read everyone else like an open book. Only you give me trouble."

"That's probably because I'm your best friend and you can't even dare to think badly of me," Miku said. "I'll call you whenever I get in trouble with police. You'll be my backup." Miku laughed at her own joke and took out her homework. "Actually," she said looking down at the page. "Be my backup now. What's the answer to the first question?" With another sigh, I pulled out my homework and gave her the answer. To put it nicely, Miku wasn't a genius. She usually needed my answers since I always got them right. I didn't mind giving them to her too much. We were best friends and I also made her buy me food during lunch in exchange.

Miku and I continued going over the homework when the boy in front of me took his seat. I looked up at him briefly, but then returned to the homework. I know his name is Len, but that's about all I know. He's usually a quiet kid, only speaking up to give the answers during class. He's got these glasses that make him look kinda nerdy, but there are a lot of girls that secretly like him. He's pretty smart and rich to boot. They could do worse. He set his bag down and laid his head down on his desk. I guess he was one of those kids who was naturally smart and never paid attention in class.

With that, the bell rang to start class. Mr. Hiyama entered the classroom and asked all to put our phones away, so we could start class. I grabbed my notebook and a pen to take some notes. I was the only one who ever took notes. If I wanted to get good grades, I had to work hard at it. Plus, a good detective needs to know as much as possible. You never know what could come in handy during a case.

Soon enough it was lunch, the only time of the day where I could get some peace and quiet. Miku spent lunch with her boyfriend, Kaito. Most of my other friends did the same. I was the odd one out, but I didn't really mind. I don't need a boyfriend. The lunch bell rang and I grabbed my bag and headed towards the library. It was a good place to read. There was never anyone there because everyone ate in the lunchroom or outside. The only people there were the librarian and me.

I took a seat at one of the library tables in the very back. It was alongside a big window and you could see the entire small forest that backed up to the school. Beyond that were mountains that seemed to touch the sky. It was a view that was hard to find in a city. I grabbed my manga from my bag and got comfortable in the chair. I planned on staying here for a while.

While reading, I noticed someone moving around out of the corner of my eye. I set down my manga and looked up. To my surprise, it was Len, that boy who sits in front of me. He was browsing through the shelves looking for something. This was the first time I had seen anyone come to the library to check out a book in a long time. He looked a bit frustrated, like he couldn't find what he was looking for. I was about to return to my manga when a hand hit the table. It was Len.

"Excuse me," he said softly. It was hard to hear him he was so quiet. "You look like you come here often. Do you know where the geology books are?" Geology? That sounded a bit boring, but then again, I've never read a book about rocks. "Check the science section," I said. "It's two shelves from the back. Shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Thank you," Len nodded as he scurried off to find his book. Weird kid. I could see how girls could like him for his looks and riches, but his personality was a bit odd. It was hard to tell what he was thinking if he was thinking anything at all. By the end of the hour, I had finished my manga and was playing with my phone until it was time to return to class. The rest of the day was a bit of a bore. Mr. Hiyama had nothing new to teach and Miku kept talking about how much fun she and Kaito had on their last date. There was nothing I cared about more.

Finally the day ended and I was able to go home. Miku and I lived in separate directions, so I usually ended up walking home alone. My walk was short, so I didn't feel too lonely. When I got home, I was welcomed home by my dad who was sitting on the couch doing nothing. For a police officer, he doesn't seem to work very hard. "Hey," I said, setting my bag by the door. "You're home early." Dad gave a yawn and stood up. "Yeah, everyone got sent home early to get ready for tonight."

"What's tonight?" I asked, pouring myself a cup of orange juice. I sat down at the kitchen table and turned on the TV. The news turned came on and I was about to change the channel when Dad asked me to keep it on. "Tonight is the night that it has been rumored the Angel's Tear will be stolen from the museum in downtown Tokyo," the news anchor explained. "Three days ago, the Tokyo city police received a notice of a burglary will take place tonight at 10:00." A picture of the notice flashed on screen. "The police have no leads as to who this mysterious thief is and if he will even go through with his promise. Now, onto other news…"

"A thief?" I asked. "The entire department got sent home over some silly thief. The security in that museum is crazy. Now way anyone could steal anything." I took a sip of juice. It sounded a bit ridiculous. Besides, what kind of thief sent an advance notice? It was liking asking to be caught. "How do you know it's not a joke?" Dad crossed his arms and gave a sigh. "We don't, but that gem is expensive and the museum director didn't want to take any risks. He asked for the entire department to help protect it."

"Sounds like you'll have a fun night," I joked. "You wanna come with?" Dad asked. "Of course," I replied with a smile. Though a robbery seemed impossible, I was a bit intrigued. Anyone who tried to steal that gem has to have some serious guts. Plus, it'd be good experience. Detectives get called onto robbery cases all the time. Dad always brought me with him during important work-related cases. He thought it was good for me since I wanted to be a detective and all. Experience starts early.

"Anything special about the note?" I asked. "Nope," Dad shook his note. "It was pretty straight forward. It just had a date, time, and what they were going to steal. Not even a signature." That was boring. If you were going to take the risk of announcing your robbery, you should sign your note with a cool name or logo, kinda like the Kaito Kid. I guess this thief wasn't as gutsy as I thought. I checked the kitchen clock and noticed that is was already 4:00.

"We got head out," Dad said. "The police are setting up barriers and extra security in a little bit. You ready?"

"Just let me grab a jacket," I said. I ran into my room and grabbed a gray sweatshirt. Dad changed into his uniform. Then Dad and I got his car and drove to the police station. There we swapped out his car for a police car and then headed to the scene. When we got there, the majority of the police force was already there. They had set up a perimeter around the museum. No one was getting in from the ground. Officers were all over the place along with a couple reporters. "Wait in the car," Dad said. "I'm going to get started." Even though I was allowed to come, I had to wait in the car. Dad didn't want me to get hurt in case things went bad. I watched Dad enter the museum. He must be on duty inside.

I rolled down the window to hear what was going on outside. There was a reporter talking to the museum owner. He was a tall and strong looking man with brown hair. He was calm and composed. "Everything will be fine," he said to the reporter. "This is just an extra precaution. There is a high chance we are just dealing with a prankster, but it never hurts to be safe." He didn't seem to be that worried, but he was the one that ordered an entire police force. He was more nervous than he was letting on. I wonder why.

Since there was nothing to do in the car, I decided to look up the gem that the mysterious thief planned to steal. It was called the Angel's Tear. It was sapphire in the shape of a gem and it was worth several million yen. If the thief someone how managed to steal it, he'd be set for life. With a bit more research, I learned the gem had been given to the museum fifteen years ago by an anonymous donor. No one knows who it belonged to before that. It's strange how such an expensive gem popped out of nowhere but no one seemed to ever question it.

It was starting to become dark. The car's clock said it was only 9:00. Only one more hour before this "thief" arrives. Good thing I brought some manga to read until then. Though I wanted the gem to be safe, I secretly hoped the thief would show up. That would make the night at least a little exciting. The poor guy would be caught right away though. It seemed impossible to get inside and that was only with the security I could see from the outside. The inside probably had double that. I checked the clock again. 9:45. "This is it," I thought. "Is he really gonna do it?"

 **?'s POV**

I waited patiently in the shadows of the building. There were butterflies in my stomach. I was instantly regretting this. I tried to calm myself down. My disguise was perfect. I could sneak in without a problem. Getting out was what I was worried about. Once I took off the disguise, I had to be sly. Grandpa told me everything would be fine, but I'm seriously starting to doubt him. I looked up at the big clock on one of the buildings. 9:55, time to head it.

I left the alley I was hiding in and entered the open. I adjusted my fake police badge and put on my hat. No one would question a police officer entering the museum. Still, I had on a high quality mask and wig, so that no one would see my real face. I walked up the museum steps, scared out of my mind. There were police cars and cops everywhere. It would only take one of them to catch me.

I entered the museum and tried to look like I belonged there. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Shit! I turned to face a police officer. "Hey, buddy," he said. "Do you know where the bathrooms are?" I gave a huge sigh of relief. Things weren't over just yet. "Over there," I said, pointing to the right. I had visited the museum yesterday, so I knew the layout of the place. It was always good to plan ahead. The officer walked off and continued walking towards the jewel. I looked at a nearby clock. 9:59. The officers protecting the jewel didn't seem to be that serious. They were chatting, not even watching the jewel. I reached into my pocket and tightly gripped the smoke bomb I carried. I swear I had seen something like this happen in an anime. I watched as the hour hand hit 10 and I threw the bomb to the ground.

The whole room filled with smoke. I could hear the coughing of the officers. There were shouts of panic. This was it. I tore off my mask and costume. I hopped onto the glass case where the gem was kept. Quickly, I cut a hole in the glass and grabbed the gem. The smoke still hadn't cleared yet. I held the gem in my gloved hands and kneeled down to grab the hook that was hidden underneath the jewel case. Yesterday, I, with a bit of help, had prepared an escape. When the smoke bomb went off, a cable was dropped from the roof with a hook on the end. Once I took the jewel, it would pull me back up. I attached the cable to my belt.

The smoke was clearing up now. "Look!" one of the officers shouted, pointing at me. I'm sure I was a sight to see. A strange suited man with a mask holding the Angel's Tear. If I was a police officer, I would've fallen over right there. I watched the police fumble to grab their guns. Grandpa promised they wouldn't fire, but I wasn't so sure. "Sorry, gentlemen," I smiled. I put on a confident face, though I felt like I was going to pass out. "But I'll be leaving now." I gave a tug on the cable and it started to pull me up. The police officers looked at me in awe. Some were calling for back-up, but others were standing there mindless.

As I approached the roof, I turned my body and kicked out the glass ceiling. Waiting there was Piko, my once butler, now partner in crime. "You got it?" he asked. I showed him the gem and then put it in my pocket. I didn't want to lose it after risking so much to steal it. The two of us ran across the room to the back of the museum. I could hear police sirens and lots of yelling. If we weren't quick, we'd get caught. Piko had set up a series of boards that connected the museum to other buildings. After running across each board, Piko kicked them off, so they fell to the ground. I guess we weren't trying too hard to cover our tracks.

At the last building, there was a stairway that led down to the ground floor. We both ran in and I quickly changed into civilian clothes. The clothes I was wearing covered my outfit. I stuck the mask in my pocket with the gem. Piko and I walked down the stairs and that's when I noticed we were in a bar. What a great place to escape. No one would notice two guys walking out of a bar, even if one of them was underage. Outside the bar was Piko's parked car. We both got in and started to drive away.

Right then it hit me. I just stole something. I was now a criminal, but it felt… good. It was exhilarating, like nothing I had ever experienced before. I secretly enjoyed it. There was something satisfying about fooling the police and committing the perfect crime. Piko turned on the radio and switched to the news. "Breaking news!" the woman said. "The Angel's Tear has been successfully stolen. Police reports say the thief was a young man in a suit. It is suspected that he was wearing a disguise, so his true appearance is unknown. Police ask others to be on the lookout for any suspicious characters."

"That's us," I laughed. "Wow." I took the gem out my pocket and took a good look at it. It was beautiful, but it wasn't for me to keep. It was for our client, some old man from Europe. He claimed the gem belonged to his family and was stolen from him years ago. He was willing to pay to get it back. That was the kind of business my family had been secretly running for years.

On the front, my family was pretty rich, mostly because of my grandfather. He started a successful company that oversees all kinds of things. My parents live in Britain, where my father is an author and my mother is a model. I don't see them often since they're always so busy. Most people don't even know they're my parents. If they did, I'd have a lot more friends. Both my parents don't know about the secret business my grandfather has.

You know how people hire detectives to help solve crimes? Think of me as someone who gets hired to create them. Not violent crime, but stealing stuff. My job is to return things to the clients, expensive things. I remember when my grandfather told me about this on my 16th birthday, I didn't believe him. It sounded ridiculous, but he proved me wrong. This was how my grandfather originally made his fortune, stealing. Eventually, he grew too old for it and had to close down business. By then, he was already a billionaire, so it didn't matter.

My grandfather was an incredible thief. No one could catch him. But he was an "honorable" thief, as he liked to put it. He says a good thief must be polite and leave a warning of their crime, otherwise it's not fair to the police or fun for you. He also says a good thief shouldn't be afraid to put on a show. That was what the costume was for. Grandpa always had a thing for theatrics. He wanted me to continue that legacy. He never told my father about his past or asked him to succeed him. He said my father wasn't the right type of person for the job, but I was different. He said that when I was born, he knew I would be the next great thief.

So here I am, heading home after I've just committed a crime. This won't be the last time, I'm sure. Piko's car pulled into my driveway and we both got out. We walked inside and were greeted by my Grandpa. "You're back!" he smiled. He was sitting on the couch, his greying hair pulled back into a ponytail, like mine usually was. We looked pretty similar except for our different eye color. "Nice job," he complimented me. "You made it out. How'd it go?"

"Pretty good," I said, tossing him the gem. "It was more… fun than I expected." Grandpa gave a laugh. "Figured as much," he said. "I was nervous my first time too, but then it became like a game. Those were the days." Grandpa observed the gem and asked Piko to take it and prepare to send it to the client. "I'm glad it went well," Grandpa said. "But next time, you're on your own. Piko can help you get ready, but a good thief lets his assistants stay behind. He doesn't want to risk them getting caught. It's all on him." I nodded and announced that I was headed to bed. It was already 11:30, a late night, especially since I've got school tomorrow.

This was going to be a secret I'd have to keep from everyone. If anyone found out, it'd be all over for Grandpa, Piko, and me. It wasn't like I had many friends though. There was really no one to tell. I was good at lying though. I'd have to play a few tricks here and there to keep things quiet, but I was confident that no one would find out my secret. There was one person though Grandpa wanted me to keep an eye on. The one person that could be an obstacle in the future.

 **Rin's POV**

I heard shouts come from the museum. I put down my manga and opened the car door. Officers were running around in a panic. Had the thief really come? "He stole it!" an officer cried. Reporters and newsmen charged the scene, hoping to hear about the mysterious thief. I got out of the car and ran inside the museum.

The inside was a mess. The museum director stood at the entrance. He looked ready to pass out and was being comforted by a few officers. I continued in to where the jewel was supposed to be. There were more officers there, including Dad. I noticed that there was a hole in the top of the glass case that was protecting the Angel's Tear. Someone had broken right through it.

"Dad!" I said, running over to him. He looked up at me in surprise. "Rin," he sighed. "I told you to stay in the car." I shrugged. "I saw that something happened and I was worried. Did the thief really come?" Dad nodded. "I don't know how he got in. Suddenly, the room filled with smoke and he just appeared. He took the gem and like that he was gone."

"He must've had a smoke bomb," I said. "Did he have any distinguishing features?" Dad thought to himself for a minute. "I'm pretty sure he had on a wig, but he was definitely a young man and he was wearing a suit. He had a black mask covering his face, like the kind you'd see at a masquerade ball." Interesting. "So he was a masked gentleman?" I asked. "Why do you say that?" Dad wondered.

"Well," I started to explain. "He seems to be one of those gentleman thieves, like the Kaito Kid or something, and he has a mask. Hence, a masked gentleman." I started to inspect the crime scene as Dad went off to find a head officer. The hole in the glass was a perfect circle. Someone used a glass cutter. If the thief was smart enough to use that, then looking for fingerprints would be useless. He wouldn't have left any behind.

There was little evidence. It was a perfect crime. The Masked Gentleman got in, stole the gem, and vanished, just like that. He was better than I had given him credit for. He would be someone the police would have to look out for. He had already fooled them once, he could probably do it again.

"Rin, we should head home," Dad said as he returned. "I got permission to go and you have school tomorrow." I gave a yawn in agreement. It was late and that thief was long gone by now. Still, I was intrigued by him. I wonder what kind of person was hidden behind that mask.

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 **Reviews and criticism are appreciated :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the beginning of this new story. It really means a lot. :)**

 **Now, it's showtime...**

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 **Rin's POV**

The next day at school, news of the mysterious thief spread like wildfire. The media had branded him the Masked Gentleman, just as I had. All night and this morning, news stations obsessed over his seemingly impossible crime. "Did you hear?" Miku said, as she ran into the classroom towards me. "A phantom thief! Just like in your mangas!" I gave a yawn and set my head down on my desk. I was exhausted from last night. "Of course I heard," I replied. "I was there."

"Did you see him?" Miku asked. "Wasn't he so cool?" I shook my head. "I was stuck outside. I didn't get to see anything."

"Lucky for us a security camera did." Miku pulled out her phone and brought up a grainy photo taken from a security camera. In it, I could see someone standing on top of the glass case holding the Angel's Tear in his hand. "There he is," Miku said. "So cool."

"I wouldn't call being a criminal 'so cool'," I told her. "Sooner or later, he'll be arrested and it won't be fun and games anymore. I don't understand why everyone is freaking out."

"Stuff like this doesn't happen every day," Miku said. "It's exciting just to think about it." I started to zone her out and concentrated on getting a bit more sleep. I noticed that Len was doing the same. His head was in his arms on his desk. I guess he had a late night too. Miku noticed that I was trying to sleep and left me alone. She continued to find out as much she could about her beloved Masked Gentleman with her phone. I'm sure Kaito would be ecstatic to hear that later.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

It was lunch again and I was spending it in the library. Taking the same spot as usual, I sat down to read. Before I could start, I noticed Len was here again. He didn't seem to be looking for any book in particular. He was just wandering around. It was a weird thing to do, but it didn't bother me, so I didn't mind. I watched him return the book that he had checked out yesterday. He must have finished it quickly.

That's when he started to walk over to me. I put down my manga and got a little nervous. Why was he coming over here? "Thank you for helping me yesterday," he said as he came up beside the table. "Oh," I replied. "It's no problem. Did you like your book?"

"Uh… y-yes," he stammered. "It was very good."

"That's nice," I smiled. Taking a good look at him, I noticed Len was really cute, even with those dorky glasses. His blonde hair was pulled back neatly into a small ponytail. His uniform was crisp and neat, as expected of a rich kid. I could see why there were some girls madly in love with him. I didn't know if he knew that though.

"Would you mind if I sat with you?" he asked. I was taken aback by his question. Out of all the seats in the library, he wanted to sit with me? "Sure, that's fine," I told him. I didn't mind a little company, especially him. He was a good kid. I wouldn't mind being closer friends with him. Len pulled out his phone and starting looking at it.

"What ya looking at?" I asked. "Oh," he said, a bit surprised by my question. He showed me his phone's screen. It was an article about the Masked Gentleman. "That guy?" I frowned. "Are you obsessed with him too?"

"No," Len said, sounding a bit hurt. "I was just a bit curious. That's all."

"Sorry," I apologized. "That sounded rude. It's just my friend got a little crazy about him this morning. She's more excited about him than he probably is himself. I wonder how he did it though."

"Did what?"

"Get into the museum undetected and then make a clean escape. He must've had an accomplice," I explained. "From what my Dad told me, I bet he used a disguise to get in and then had someone pull him out on the roof when he stole the gem." Len's face turned a little white. "Y-you think so?" he said, sticking his phone back in his bag. "It's just a guess," I shrugged. "I'd be a bit disappointed if I was wrong though. That'd be poor detective work on my part."

"You're a detective?" Len asked. I was a bit impressed that he was still talking. I don't think I've ever seen him continue a conversation for this long. "Kinda," I said. "I want to be one at least, but right now, I guess I'm not one officially. Someday though."

"You can do it!" Len said enthusiastically. "Thanks," I laughed. "I've never seen someone with that much confidence in me." Len's face turned a bit red and I laughed some more. This kid was fun. He should talk more often. "You know, you're pretty cool," I said. "You should speak up more in class. You could have a lot of friends."

"You think so?" he said. "I never really thought much about it."

"Of course," I smiled. "But you have to get rid these dorky glasses." I reached across the table and took the glasses off his face. Now it was my turn to blush. He looked good without them. "There," I said, setting the glasses on the table. "You look good." I took a picture of him and showed it to him. He agreed that without the glasses he looked less nerdy.

"It'll be a good change," I told him. "Everyone needs some change every once in a while." Suddenly, the lunch bell rang and it was time to go back to class. "Do you wanna walk back together?" I asked him. He quietly nodded. The two of us gathered our things and headed back to class. When we returned, we both sat in our seats. Once we were seating, I tapped him on the shoulder. "You can come back tomorrow if you want," I whispered. "To sit with my in the library, I mean."

"Sure," he smiled. What a productive day, which was more than I could say for most days. I made a new friend, and a cute one too. I was secretly looking forward to tomorrow's lunch. Talking with Len was pretty chill. I was excited to do it again.

In the middle of class, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. While the teacher wasn't looking, I opened it. There was a text message from Dad. The message was a picture. In the picture was a piece of paper that said, "I'll be stopping by tonight at 12:00 to steal Venus away. See you then ;)". The note was signed by the Masked Gentleman. What a cocky little shit. One successful heist and he thinks he can get away with anything. The picture was followed by a message from Dad. "You up for some fun tonight?"

"Of course," I texted back. This was going to be an exciting night. This time, I'd meet the Masked Gentleman face to face. No way was I going to let him get away. It doesn't matter what Dad says either. I'm gonna get catch him, but what exactly is he after?

I searched "Venus" on the internet and discovered that it was an expensive painting that was currently on display in the art museum downtown. It was worth over 100 million yen. It was a painting of the Roman goddess, Venus, and was 100 years old. I wondered what the Masked Gentleman would want with a painting. It would be harder to sell off than a jewel. Maybe he planned to hang it in his bedroom.

"Excuse me," someone said as they tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up to see Mr. Hiyama hovering over my shoulder. "No phones during class." I shoved my phone back into my backpack and gave a weak "I'm sorry". I guess the detective work would have to wait until after class.

The bell finally rang to let me go home. I tossed my books into my bag and was ready to leave immediately, but I was stopped by Miku. "Do you want to go get some ice cream with Kaito and me?" she asked. "Some of the others are coming to."

"No, thanks," I declined. "I've got stuff to do."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Detective stuff." Miku gave me an odd look, but let me go. I was a little sad to be missing out on ice cream, but getting a chance to see the Masked Gentleman would be worth it. I ran all the way home and was greeted in by my Dad, in uniform and ready to go. "You seem excited," he noticed. "Of course," I told him. "I'm gonna catch this guy."

"Let's not be too reckless," Dad cautioned. "You can help out a bit, but I don't want you getting into any trouble."

"Don't be silly, Dad. I'll be fine. If this thief is a gentlemanly as he pretends to be, there shouldn't be any danger," I said. Dad sighed, but said nothing. The two of us got into Dad's police car, which he had driven home from work and headed to the museum. Just like before, there were police cars everywhere. However, everyone seemed more serious this time. Everyone knew that this thief was the real deal and it was no prank. Every officer would have to be on their guard. A criminal like the Masked Gentleman needed to be arrested as soon as possible.

Dad parked the car, but this time he let me get out. He got his boss's permission to let me scope out the scene a bit. He said an extra pair of eyes couldn't hurt. The art museum had only three entrances. There was the main doors in the front, which were heavily guarded. The back doors were locked and also guarded. The one set of side doors also had multiple police officers stationed nearby. No one was getting through those doors who wasn't supposed to be there. The museum didn't have many windows either. It would be hard to get in through any of the ones that were there too. They were too small for anyone to fit through.

After entering the museum, Dad was given his post, which was at the back doors. I was allowed to roam around for a bit until the Masked Gentleman arrived. I decided to check out the painting. The painting was in a hall of classical themed art. It was at the very end in the center of a big white wall. It was surrounded by guards. I started approaching the painting, when I was stopped by a guard. "Do you have permission to be here?" he asked.

"Yep," I said with a smile. "My dad's an office here. He got permission for me to look around a bit." The guard gave me a suspicious look. "Who's your dad?" I couldn't blame him for being wary of me. It was a bit odd for a teenage girl to be wandering around only a few hours before a planned burglary. "Leon Kagane," I said. The guard nodded and let me get closer to the painting.

It was a beautiful painting. You could see all the strokes, but they all blended together to create an amazing painting. In the center was Venus surrounded by her attendants and many flowers. She looked like beauty itself. I was in awe. No wonder the Masked Gentleman wanted to steal the painting. After a few minutes, I was asked to leave by one of the officers, so they could set up some extra security. I happily obliged and returned the museum's lobby. That's where I noticed a woman with bright green hair talking to a bunch of officers.

"We need at least 20 men stationed around the painting. We can't take any risks," she said seriously. In her hands was a map of the museum. She drew where she wanted all the guards on her map. "The painting has a protective glass case, so it'll be hard to get it off the wall. There are also sensors surrounding the painting, so if anyone gets too close, we'll know." The woman stopped talking and turned to me. "Who do we have here?" she asked me.

"Oh, I'm Rin Kagane," I told her. "My Dad's working here tonight."

"You must be Leon's daughter, right?" she said. I nodded my head. "That's nice. It's always good to see young people so interested in the force. Feel free to hang around and help out." I was a bit surprised at how laid back the woman was. Considering an expensive painting was scheduled to be stolen tonight, she was in a good mood. "Excuse me," I said. "But who are you?" She laughed. "I'm Gumi Megpoid, head inspector for the Masked Gentleman's case." So she was Dad's boss and in charge of this whole thing. It must be a difficult job. There were so many people running around and a lot of stuff to prepare. Not to mention, there was a lot on the line if this went bad.

"Why don't you stick with me?" Gumi suggested. "Us girls have to stick together." I agreed. It would be nice to have someone to shadow for the night. Gumi led me back to the security room. In the room were multiple TV screens all broadcasting feeds from different security cameras. It seemed like every corner of the museum could be seen from a camera. "This is the security room," Gumi explained. "I'll be stationed here watching over everything along with the normal security guard that works at the museum. If anything suspicious happens, I'll be able to radio for back-up." Gumi pulled up a chair for me to sit in. "You can wait here with me. We still have a while until midnight."

The two of us talked for a while. To my surprise, Gumi was really young for a police inspector. She had quickly risen through the police ranks to a top position. I also discovered that her interests including singing and carrots. She was someone that was a lot of fun to be with. I wouldn't mind working with her in the future. During our conversation, there was a knock at the security room door. A strange man walked into the room. "Mr. Al!" Gumi said, standing up. She happily greeted the man. "Rin, this is Mr. Al, the curator of this museum."

"Nice to meet you," I smiled. He nodded and turned to Gumi. "How are things going so far?" he said nervously. I would be nervous too. Mr. Al was a tall, intimidating man with a scar on his face. I wondered how someone like him owned an art museum. "Everything's A-okay!" Gumi gave a thumbs up. "Nothing weird yet."

"That's good," he sighed. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to that painting. It's our most expensive work by the painter… err… oh yes, Yuuma. His works sell for millions of yen. I don't know what I'd do if one was stolen.."

"I understand sir," Gumi said. "We'll do our best to keep it safe." Mr. Al thanked her for her hard work and then left to go check on some officers. When he left, I checked the time on my phone. 11:55, it was almost time for the Masked Gentleman to strike. Suddenly, a thought struck my mind. When I was reading about "Venus", I remembered reading an interview by Mr. Al about it. He said it was his favorite painting in the entire museum.

Gumi pulled out her radio and spoke into it. "11:57, everyone on your marks. It's time to go." That's a little weird, I thought to myself. If "Venus" was Mr. Al's favorite painting, how did he forget who painted it? "11:58!" Gumi warned. Especially if you worked at an art museum, wouldn't you remember who painted your favorite painting, unless…

"Gumi!" I shouted. Gumi almost dropped her radio in surprise. "What?" she said. "Tell everyone not let Mr. Al through security. He's the Masked Gentleman!" Gumi looked at me in alarm, but brought her radio to her lips. "Attention all personal!" she yelled. "If you see, Mr. Al, do not let him pass through. I repeat, do NOT let him pass through!" As Gumi gave these instructions, I bolted out of the security room. That sly thief thought he was going to get away. Too bad he slipped up with his disguise. He's not as good as he thought.

I ran through the museum looking for the Mr. Al imposter. Where could he be? There was only a minute more until the Masked Gentleman planned to attack. I ran into the hall with painting and found Mr. Al talking with one of the guards. "You!" I shouted. Everyone turned to me in surprise. I pointed my finger at Mr. Al. "That's him! That's the Masked Gentleman!" The guards grabbed their guns and turned them to Mr. Al. Mr. Al gave a devious smile.

* * *

 **?'s POV**

All the guards pointed their guns at me. Not good. I gave a devious smile, trying to keep calm. Like Grandpa said, if you show weakness, you'll definitely get caught. I grabbed a smoke bomb from my pocket and threw it down. In the midst of the smoke and chaos, I pulled of my disguise and put on my mask. I walked over the barriers and tapped the painting. As expected, a glass casing. The smoke began to clear. Time for the show.

"Stop him!" a voice called from the smoke. It was her. Why she was here I didn't know, but I couldn't let it distract me. I had almost let her trip me up earlier, but not now. I had to get this job done otherwise Grandpa would kill me. "Sorry to ruin the party," I laughed. I pulled a small hammer from my pocket and tapped on the glass case. It instantly shattered. That was then the guards lunged at me. Those idiots all jumped at once and ran into each other. I easily jumped over them. There was a now a pile of guards lying on the ground. Maybe this wouldn't be as hard as I thought.

"I'll be taking this now," I said with a smile. I stepped over the guards and plucked the painting of the wall. I could hear the pounding of footsteps. More officers were coming. I'd have to do this fast. Luckily, I came prepared. Underneath the painting was a small hatch that was built with the museum to store paintings. The hatch led to all small room that was connected to an air vent. That was my way out. If I released another smoke bomb, it would look like I disappeared into thin air. No one would be the wiser. I reached for another bomb in my pocket, when I was pinned against the wall. It was her. "No way I'm letting you go," she smiled. "Give it up, thief." I smiled and clicked my tongue. "Let's not be too hasty," I chided. "What's the fun in ending a fight so early?"

Using my foot, I pulled her legs of the ground and she fell. It was a dirty tactic, but I had to do it. I grabbed the bomb from my pocket and threw it down. The room was filled with smoke again. I could hear multiple shouts. The rest of the police were in here. I slammed my foot on the small hatch and it swung open. I jumped into it and quickly closed it up, but I wasn't safe yet.

The storage room was small and filled with valuable paintings. I had to be careful not to ruin anything. On the side of the room was the air vent. Piko had already snuck in ahead of time and removed the screws. The cover would come off no problem. I threw the cover on the ground and got into the vent. I could hear the footsteps on the floor above. I have to get out of here quick.

I tunneled through the vent with the painting in my jacket. It was a smaller painting, so it fit nicely. The vent led directly to the outside. Hopefully, all the officers rushed inside, so the outdoors would be clear. Thank god it was. I kicked out the vent cover that led to the outdoors and pushed myself out. That's when it began to rain. Perfect.

I pulled a blue poncho and small umbrella out of the other pocket. I ran into a nearby alleyway and threw it on. I opened the umbrella and joined the crowd. No one would notice a pedestrian walking in the streets. A flawless escape. I walked along one of the main roads and joined a crowd. The sucky thing was that I had to walk home. Piko wasn't here to pick me up this time. The taste of victory was ruined a bit by the rain.

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

Even after the Masked Gentleman escaped, I laid on the ground. I couldn't get up. Dammit! I let him get away. We were so close. The smoke was gone and the room was filled with officers. There was an ugly blank spot on the wall where the painting had been. Gumi came over and helped me up. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I should've been here. Sorry about that." I told her it was fine. It wasn't Gumi's fault that the Masked Gentleman had sneaked it. He had a good disguise. Only one person had realized it was a fake.

Dad found me amidst the chaos. "Are you okay?" he asked, sounding very worried. He gave me a hug and I had to ask him to back off. "I'm fine, Dad," I sighed. "Please bring her next time," Gumi asked. Dad was taken off guard. "What do you mean?"

"She's the one that uncovered the Masked Gentleman's disguise. We need someone like her. If she did it once, I think she can do it again. Plus, we're already best friends, right?" Gumi winked and I smiled back. I really wanted to try again. "Yes, boss," Dad said in amazement. He didn't expect his daughter to be the hero of the day.

This was good. I was invited to the Masked Gentleman's next scheme and I won't let him get away. It's a personal goal of mine. Now I know his voice, his appearance. He won't outsmart me again. I'll catch that guy no matter what!

* * *

 **Reviews and criticism appreciated! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Rin's POV**

The next day of school was miserable. I had hardly gotten any sleep after the Masked Gentleman's heist. I tried to convince Dad to let me skip school, but he said I couldn't. I dragged myself into the classroom slower than a snail. I pulled out my chair and almost fell on top of my desk. There was no way I could last the day. "Are you awake?" Miku asked as she poked me on the head. Normally, I would have swatted her away, but I didn't have the energy. I gave her a grumble in response. "Did you have a late night again?"

"I was trying to catch the Masked Gentleman," I yawned. "I didn't get home until 3:00 in the morning." Miku quickly pulled her chair up beside me. "You got to see him again? How lucky! Was he even cooler this time? I bet he's so dreamy!" I almost vomited at her words. "What's wrong with you?" I said. "He's a criminal, like I told you before."

"Do you have any pictures?"

"No, and even if I did, I wouldn't show you." Miku frowned and returned to her desk. "You're no fun. Besides, isn't this the kind of big mystery you've been waiting for? You could show the world how great of a detective you are, especially if you manage to catch him."

"Of course I'm going to catch him," I retorted. I straightened up and pounded my fist on the table. "Whether he knows it or not, I've declared him my enemy and I won't like him go!"

"You sound like a bad anime character," Miku rolled her eyes. "But that's the spirit!"

"What are you talking about?" Len was sitting in front of us and he turned around in his chair to face us. He wasn't wearing his glasses today, and I as I had predicted, he looked good. He looked tired too. It was unlike him to enter conversations on his own. He's been more sociable lately. "Just about the Masked Gentleman," Miku answered. "You've heard of him, right? The handsome and elusive phantom thief." Len nodded. "I've heard of him. He's been all over the news. Didn't he steal something just last night?"

"Yep, an expensive painting," Miku smiled. "It wasn't a very nice painting though, so I don't know why he stole it."

"I liked it," I said, butting in. "You have the artistic taste of an old lady, Rin," Miku snickered. "I suppose it was expensive though, so it'll probably sell for a lot if he decides not to keep it." Miku looked up at Len, who seemed to be focused on me. She gave a devious smile. "I'm sure you both have something better to talk about than the Masked Gentleman though."

"W-what do you mean?" Len stuttered. He turned back to face forward and laid his head down on his desk. He looked a bit embarrassed. Since everyone deciding to stop talking, I decided it was a good time to take a nap. I let my eyes close, but then I heard Mr. Hiyama enter the classroom. Damn it! I tried to wake myself up to prepare for class. It was going to be another long day.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

I was about to head to the library for lunch, when Miku stopped me. "How about you and your friend come join Kaito and me for lunch?" She gave me a wink. "What friend?" I wondered. "Len, of course," Miku exclaimed. "I saw him looking at you before class."

"I think you're stupid," I bluntly replied. Miku hit me on the shoulder. "C'mon. It's just lunch. Go ask him and meet me outside in the common area. Kaito and I will be there with a couple other friends." She ran off to go find Kaito. With an exasperated sigh, I walked over to Len, who was still sitting in his seat. He seemed a bit surprised to see me there. "Would you like to have lunch with me and a couple friends?" I asked. His eyes widened and he turned a bit red. "S-sure," he stammered. "Cool, meet me outside in the common area when you're ready, okay?" He slowly nodded and started putting his things into his bag.

I headed out to the common area. The sun was shining and it was a nice day, not too bad for eating lunch outside. Miku and Kaito were sitting on some benches underneath a large oak tree. Across from them were Luka and Gakupo. They were my friends, but because we were in different classes this year, I didn't talk to them as often as I should. "Rin, over here!" Miku called, waving her hand. She pointed to an empty bench to her right that was big enough for two people. I walked over and took a seat.

"We haven't seen you in so long!" Luka smiled. "You always go off on your own for lunch and read. I thought you were starting to hate us."

"No, I just like getting some peace and quiet after class," I confessed as I took a bite of my lunch. "Why the change of heart today?" Luka asked. I pointed at Miku. "She invited me and I thought I could use a change."

"And she's bringing a special guest," Miku grinned. "Who?" Everyone asked in unison. "Um, excuse me," a meak voice interjected. It was Len. "Here he is!" Miku patted the spot next to me on the bench, almost begging for Len to sit there. He sat down, but he looked rather nervous. "You're Len, right?" Gakupo asked. "You're that really rich kid everyone talks about." Was Len popular? I never would have guessed it. Len simply shrugged. "I didn't know people talked about me," he confessed. "Are you kidding?" Kaito exclaimed. "All the girls go crazy over you. You're rich, smart, and good-looking. I'm so jealous. You probably get all the girls." Miku gave him an angry glare that shut him right up. "Thanks," Len said, weakly.

There was more to Len than what met the eyes. I knew he had a few girls looking at him, but not as many as Kaito described. He didn't really have the personality I'd normally associate with a "popular" person. "What's up in class?" Miku said, changing the topic. "Don't remind me," Luka groaned. "Ms. Meiko has been so tough lately. It's like she wants to punish us. I've never had so much classwork in my life."

"Same here. Mr. Hiyama must be crazy," Miku complained. "I heard those two were dating," Kaito added. "Someone saw them out on a date last week!"

"No way!" Miku gasped. "I could totally see it though. Those two would be perfect for each other, even if they're mean teachers. They're pretty nice people when they aren't teaching." So this was the kind of riveting conversation that I was missing at lunch every day. What a pity. Len was eating his lunch silently, saying nothing. I decided to follow suit. I took my manga out from my bag and started to read it. I wasn't very interested in the ongoing conversation.

"What movie do you want to see tonight?" Gakupo asked. "That new action one looked good."

"What about the romance one?" Miku suggested. Luka nodded her head in agreement, while Kaito and Gakupo looked appalled. "Are you guys going on a double date?" I asked, setting down my manga. "Yep!" Miku smiled. "It's going to be a lot of fun. Hey! You and Len should come with, then it would be a triple date!" Len was so startled, he almost spilled his drink. "I'm not a big fan of movies, but thanks for the offer," I replied. I wanted to catch up on some sleep tonight since the Masked Gentleman didn't have a heist tonight. Honestly, he probably needed to catch up on sleep to. Being a thief is an exhausting job.

"That detective movie you like is in theaters," Miku taunted. "You could go see that." My ears perked up. I hadn't seen it yet, and it did look really good. "Fine," I sighed. "You win, I'll go." I turned to Len. "You don't have to come if you don't want to. Those four will probably see a different movie anyways. I don't mind going by myself if you aren't interested."

"No, I want to go!" Len said, trying to compose himself. He reminded me of a nervous puppy. "Everyone should meet at the theater at 6:00. It's a triple date!" Miku smiled. She seemed overly pleased with herself. I didn't want to give in to her, but I did want to see that movie. The bell rang to return to class. I packed up my stuff and began to head back. Len went back with me, while Miku and Kaito stayed behind to finish up their daily lunch "routine". That basically meant making out. Yuck!

 **\- THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY –**

When I got home, I told Dad that I was going to the movies with some friends. He was okay with it, as I expected. He was probably relieved to be able to have the night to himself. I knew he was also tired from two long nights of chasing the Masked Gentleman. I ate a small dinner and before I knew it, it was 5:30. I didn't bother to change out of my school clothes. I didn't have anything nicer to wear anyways.

I walked to the theater since it was only a couple of minutes away. That was one of the benefits of living in a downtown area. I stood outside the theater, leaning against a pole. I was the first one there at 5:50. Miku and Kaito showed up together. She was wearing a blue dress and looked really nice. Kaito had even dressed up too. Luka and Gakupo came at 6:00 exactly. Like Miku and Kaito, both of them had decided to dress nice. I felt out of place in my wrinkled school clothes, but I doubt anyone cared.

I checked my watch. It was 6:05. I wonder where Len could be. Right on cue, Len appeared out of the crowd, heaving and panting. He had been running hard. "Sorry, I'm late," he said in between heavy breaths. "I had to run to get here." Even he had changed clothes. He was wearing black pants and a nice white shirt. It looked good on him. I was impressed. "Don't worry about it," I told him. "Our movie doesn't start until 6:30."

The six of us entered the theater. Miku bought tickets for the four of them. They ended up seeing the romance movie. I'm sure Gakupo and Kaito weren't too happy about that. Len bought the tickets for him and me. Our movies were in theaters right next to each other. We said our good-byes and entered our separate theaters. Len and I took a seat in the middle, perfect seats. I had bought some popcorn to share. I felt bad that Len had paid for the tickets, so this was how I planned to make up for it.

"Um, what's this movie about?" Len asked after we took our seats. He didn't know? Why did he agree to go with me if he didn't know about the movie? Maybe he just felt bad for me. I tried to explain it to him. He seemed a bit interested. "I'm surprised you haven't seen a single movie in the series," I told him. "It's the 19th movie, not to mention it has a long running manga and anime." Len shrugged. "I'm not really up to date with what's cool and stuff." I laughed. "Neither am I. I don't know if this could be considered 'cool'". The lights in the theater dimmed. The movie was about to start.

The movie ended up being as good as I had hoped. Len seemed to have enjoyed it too. We were talking about it when we exited the theater. The other four were still in their theater. Their movie was a bit longer than ours was. Len and I took a seat on a bench in the front of the movie theater.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," I said with a smile. "I didn't think you'd be into something like that."

"It was really good," Len said. "I knew you wanted to be a detective, but I didn't know you were that into mysteries."

"I'm kinda obsessed," I confessed. "I'd love to be a detective someday, solving all kinds of mysteries. I know being a detective isn't exactly like what I read in the mangas, but it's still my dream." Len smiled. "It's good to have a goal," he sighed. "I just take life as it comes. It'd be nice to have some direction."

"With as smart and rich as you are, the sky's the limit," I told him. "You could do anything." My sappy speech was interrupted by the sound of cellphone. Len reached for his pocket and pulled out a yellow cellphone. He looked embarrassed. "Sorry, I have to take this." He got up and walked into the corner. I wonder who was on the phone. The call looked important.

"Tomorrow?" Len whispered into the phone. I could still hear him, but I couldn't hear the person on the other end. "Gramps, I've only been at this for a few days and you're working me so hard!" I could hear mumbled yelling on the other end. "Fine," Len huffed. "Yes, you can send it. I'll be ready. Okay, yeah. Thanks, bye." Len shut the phone and put it in his pocket. I pretended like I wasn't eavesdropping.

"Sorry about that," Len apologized. "It was my Grandpa."

"That was the most aggressive I've ever heard you be," I laughed. "You legitimately looked mad. You're never like that at school."

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine. It's nice to know you're not so shy. You're more fun that way," I smiled. Len stared at me. He looked like he was lost in thought. "What are you two doing?" someone asked. I looked up to see Miku, leaning over the two of us. "Having some fun?"

"Of course not!" I protested, standing up. "We were just talking. Why do you have to be so weird?"

"You're the weird one," Miku said, crossing her arms. "By the way, I was going to ask if you wanted to come get ice cream with us, but I'm not so sure anymore. I'll just invite Len only." Ice cream? "Sorry," I sighed. "Can I come get ice cream?" Miku gave me a hug. "I forgive you. Now, let's go get ice cream!" The six of us left the theater and walked to the ice cream shop just down the street. I had only been there a few times, but I knew their ice cream was really delicious.

We stood in line to place our orders. I asked for orange ice cream with whipped cream and nuts. Len had the same, but with banana ice cream. We were the only ones with normal orders. Miku and Gakupo got weird vegetable ice creams, and Luka got something tuna flavored. Kaito ended up ordering a scoop of every kind of ice cream. We took a seat by the shop's window. I quietly enjoyed my ice cream while everyone else talked.

"How was your movie, Len?" Luka asked. "I hope Rin's tastes weren't… too much for you." Len shook his head. "No, it was good. I really enjoyed it."

"I'm glad you liked your movie," Gakupo frowned as he took a lick of his ice cream. Kaito nodded in agreement. Those two must have had a rough time. I would've too. "Anyways," Miku said. "We should all hang out like this more often. This was fun, especially with Len." Len smiled. It was nice to see him loosen up a bit.

Now it was my turn for my cellphone to buzz. It was a text message from Dad. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the screen. It was a picture. I opened the image and zoomed it. It was a note.

 _Underneath the light of the moon, I'll steal the gem of dreams tomorrow at midnight. Don't let your nightmares of me get the best of you. ;)_

 _The Masked Gentleman_

I pounded my fist on the table, scaring everyone. "That bastard!" I shouted. "What's wrong?" Len said, sounding concerned. "Just look." I held up my phone for everyone to read. "He's coming again so soon?" Miku asked. "Please let me come, Rin! Please! I want to see him so bad!" Kaito frowned and grumbled something to himself. "Miku, this isn't a joke," I sighed. "He's a dangerous criminal."

"I agree," Luka said. "He's only been around for a little while. You don't know what he's capable of." Len looked a little pale after reading the note. "That was fast," he said. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Oh, nothing," Len said, dodging the question. "I guess I'm busy tomorrow night," I resumed. "The head inspector on the Masked Gentleman's case, Gumi, invited me to help her catch him. There's no way I'm letting him go. I'll be the one putting him behind bars."

"Please be careful," Luka said. "Like I said before, you don't know what he could do. Stay safe."

"I'll be fine," I smiled. "I won't let him outsmart me." Len frowned and looked worried. "Don't tell me you're worried too."

"He is a criminal," Len bit his lip. "They're unpredictable." I shrugged. I had confidence that the Masked Gentleman wouldn't try anything too dirty. He didn't seem like that kind of guy. "I'll be fine," I reassured everyone. "Also, the police are there." That seemed to calm everyone down. Miku was still sad that she wasn't allowed to come, but I couldn't let someone distract me. This was serious. I was going to catch him.

When we finished eating ice cream, we started to walk home. Kaito walked Miku home and Gakupo walked Luka. Len offered to walk me home, but I insisted that I was fine. It didn't sound like his house was anywhere near mine. It would just be a waste of his time. The walk back home was quiet. When I returned, Dad was fast asleep. I needed some sleep too. It was going to be a late night tomorrow and I needed to have as much strength as possible. I changed into my pajamas and slipped into bed. Never had sleep seemed so good.

* * *

 **Reviews and criticism appreciated! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Fun Fact: I solely listen to the Detective Conan and Magic Kaito OSTs when writing this story. It helps create a good mood. ;)**

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

The next morning I was up and ready to go. There was a sense of excitement coursing through me. I'm going to catch that thief today! I took a quick shower and changed into my school clothes. I could hear Dad getting ready in the other room. He seemed to have the same kind of energy as me. After I changed, I skipped down the stairs and made myself some breakfast. Dad had turned on the news where they were reporting about the Masked Gentleman's newest notice.

"The Masked Gentleman plans to steal the Gem of Dreams, an ancient diamond from the 18th Century," the reporter said. She was standing in front of a large mansion, which obviously belonged to someone filthy rich. "The diamond is currently held in the home of Ms. Lapis, who inherited from her late father who passed away last December. Possession of the diamond has been under dispute between Ms. Lapis and her sister." The reporter walked alongside the mansion, showcasing already set up police barriers. "The police have already begun preparations to stop tonight's heist. Since there is lower level security in the mansion, the police will have to be on their guard if they want to catch the Masked Gentleman. Let's wish them luck tonight! Now, on to the weather."

So the Gem of Dreams was kept in someone's house? You'd have to be pretty rich if you just left diamonds lying around. It would be more difficult to catch the Masked Gentleman there, like the reporter said. A mansion didn't have the same kind of advanced security systems that a museum or gallery would have. We'd have to outsmart the Masked Gentleman without the help of much technology. It would be an old fashioned fight, which I was ready to win.

I walked to school and was greeted by Miku, just like usual. She seemed to have dropped all the phantom thief stuff, which was good because I didn't want her getting involved. Instead, she wouldn't stop talking about much fun she and Kaito had last night. I tried to tell her that I knew. I was there too. "Don't be so grumpy," Miku pouted. "Just because you don't have a boyfriend to talk about doesn't mean you can ruin my fun."

"I don't need a boyfriend," I told her for the thousandth time. "Are you sure?" Miku questioned. "Because I'm pretty sure there's someone who would love to be yours." Miku looked over at Len's desk, which was empty. "We're only friends," I insisted. "Besides, we've only talked to each other for about a week."

"Love knows no bounds," Miku said with a dreamy look. "You're full of shit," I told her. Anyways, love wasn't really the most important thing on my mind. There was a criminal on the loose that I needed to help catch. I could think about a boyfriend after that, if I even wanted one at all. By the way, where was Len? He was usually at school by now. He could be sick, but he looked healthy yesterday. The bell rang to begin class. I guess he's really not coming. I'd text him to see what's wrong, but I don't have his number. I should get that the next time he's at school.

I could hardly stay focused throughout the school days. My notes were sloppy and probably wouldn't be very useful when studying for an exam, but I didn't care. I was too excited. I went to the library by myself for lunch. Hanging out with the others was fun every once in a while, but I couldn't handle it every day. I like my quiet time. I took my usual seat by the window and started reading my manga. This chapter was the confrontation between the ace detective and his enemy, a great phantom thief. Ironic, right? Except in this manga, the phantom thief is actually a pretty good guy. He has a good reason for stealing things, unlike the Masked Gentleman. He's cute too.

I noticed that there was a book lying open on the table. I closed it and looked at the cover. It was a book about diamonds. That's awfully specific. I wonder who might have been reading it. No one is ever in here. I picked up the book and walked over to the library's reception desk. "Excuse me," I said. The librarian looked up at me, excited that someone was even in the library. "How can I help you?" she said eagerly. She was way too excited about this. "I found this book on the table, but I don't know where it goes on the shelf. I don't think anyone checked it out. Can you put it away?"

"Of course," the librarian stood up and walked out in front of her desk. She took the book from my hands and looked at it. "I remember the boy who was looking at this yesterday," she said. "I'm surprised he didn't put it back. He seems like the responsible type. He was such a cute boy too."

"Who was it?" I asked. "What was his name…" the librarian paused, thinking to herself. "… Oh, yes. It was Len. His grandfather donates a lot of money to school, especially to the library. He's a nice boy." So it was Len? He must be really into gems and stuff. He was looking for that book about geology when he first talked to me. "Thanks for putting the book back," I told the librarian and then I returned to my table to read and finish lunch.

The rest of the day was boring as expected, but finally it ended. I ran home as fast as I could. Dad was already sitting in his police car. "Hurry up and put your bag inside," he called out from the car. "It's a bit of drive to get there." I quickly put my stuff away and hopped in the car. Here we go!

Dad told me that the mansion where the Gem of Dreams was kept was pretty far away. It was out in the woods somewhere. The original owner apparently loved being surrounded by nature. After about an hour drive, we arrived at the mansion. The police barriers from earlier were set up and police cars surrounded the house. There was a large white van sitting in front. Through its windows, I could see a bunch of TVs and computers. They must be wired to any cameras inside the mansion.

I noticed that there was a group of people near the police barrier. They were holding signs and shouted. One of them said, "Masked Gentleman, I 3 You!" Weird. "Who are they?" I asked Dad, as we got out of the car. "Fangirls," he said. "The Masked Gentleman has gotten popular. I expect the crowd to grow later in the night." Great, I thought to myself. Now we get to deal with crazy fans. What do people find so cool about a criminal?

"Rin!" someone called. I looked up and saw Gumi running towards me. She gave me a big hug. "Inspector," Dad said seriously. It was weird to see someone act so formal towards Gumi. She wasn't a very serious person. "How are you, Leon? Doing good? Just wait. Tonight, Rin and I are gonna catch this guy, right?" She turned to me with a smile. "Yep," I grinned back. Dad nodded and let me go with Gumi. It's nice to have such an easygoing father. Most parents would freak out at the idea of their daughter being at a future crime scene and working with the police.

Gumi took me mansion and showed me around. The front door was guarded by officers. The mansion had two huge wings to the east and west. There was little of value there, so there were only a couple officers. Upstairs was where the Gem of Dreams was being kept. It was in a small room in a glass case. There were bookshelves everywhere, so I assumed the room must have been a tiny library. It was probably chosen because it had no windows. "All the windows in the house are locked," Gumi explained. "But we didn't want take any chances, so we chose to keep the diamond in here."

"Why don't you just put the diamond someplace else?" I asked. "Then the Masked Gentleman won't know where it is." Gumi shook her head. "If we move it, we give him more chances to steal it and outsmart us. It's best to keep it where it is." I could understand that rational. As Gumi and I walked down the stairs that connected the mansion floors, she pointed out a few visible security cameras. As I had guessed, they were connected to the TVs and computers in the van outside. She also said there were multiple hidden cameras.

By now, it was about 7:00. There was still a lot of time until midnight. Gumi took me into the white van to show me the video feed. You could see every inch of the mansion. There were no blind spots. It would be impossible for the Masked Gentleman to get in. I could hear a lot of noise from outside the van. The crowd had grown. People were excited to see the Masked Gentleman appear and successfully steal the Gem of Dreams. I hope they won't be too disappointed when he's caught.

"We'll be here awhile, so I'm gonna go grab some snacks," Gumi said suddenly. "Do you want anything?" she asked me. "Do you have any oranges?" Gumi smiled and promised to grab me one. She left the van. I was the only one in it. The other officer who was supposed to be in the van was fixing one of the security cameras. To pass the time, I took out my phone. Miku had sent me multiple text messages. She wanted to know if I was already with the police and that she wanted me to be careful. She also wanted a picture of the Masked Gentleman if it wasn't too much trouble. I texted her back and told her to "buzz off".

It was now 9:00. Where had Gumi gone to get those snacks? On cue, she walked in, a bit out of breath. "Sorry," she apologized. She had an orange and some other snacks in her hands. She also had two bottles of water. "The store was a bit further away than I thought." She handed me the orange and some water. "Thanks," I replied. I didn't think she would go out to the store herself. She's a pretty high ranking officer. Didn't she have underlings to go shopping?

The two of us ate our snacks and chatted. We mostly talked about me. She wanted to know all about school and my interests. It was weird to talk so much about myself. Dad came into the van every so often, just to check up on me. Finally, it was 11:30. Only thirty minutes until the Masked Gentleman should arrive. "I want to go check on the diamond real quick," Gumi said, standing up. She gave a yawn and then left the van. I followed her. I wanted to get a good look at it again.

The police gladly let us enter the mansion. We headed upstairs into the library with the gem. Gumi walked up to the glass case and was given a pair of gloves by an officer. She put them on and took the glass case off the stand. She carefully picked up the diamond and brought it close to her face. She seemed to be examining it. When she was satisfied, she set the diamond back down on its velvet cushion. "It's the real thing," she sighed. "I was a little worried for some reason. Now I know there was nothing to worry about." An officer put the glass case back over the diamond and Gumi threw her gloves in the trash.

"Yo, chief," one of the officers said. He pulled something out from his pocket. It was a bag of vegetable chips, carrot flavored. "Do you want one? I found them at the store the other day. They're pretty good."

"No thanks," Gumi declined. She turned to me. "Rin, let's head back to the van. The Masked Gentleman will be here any minute. It's 11:55."

"Shouldn't we wait up here?" I asked. "It'll be easier to catch him in the act." Gumi shrugged, but continued to head back towards the van. She really wanted to go back there. All of sudden, a thought popped in my mind. I told Gumi to wait for me at the bottom of the stairs. I ran back into the library and went up to the nearest officer. "Excuse me," I said. "Inspector Gumi forgot her handcuffs. She sent me up here to borrow someone's." The officer gave me his handcuffs. "Thanks," I told him. I ran out of the room and down the stairs. Gumi was still waiting for me.

"Thanks for waiting," I said. "No problem," she smiled. "Hey," I said suddenly. "Can we go check out that room right there?" I pointed to a room in the east wing. "I saw someone go in there earlier, and I'm a bit suspicious." Gumi looked confused, but she agreed to go in with me. I opened the door. The inside was dark, so I turned on the lights. Just from looking, the room was visibly dusty. I knew that no one had been in here for a long time, especially not a little while ago.

"I don't think anyone is in here," Gumi coughed. The dust was beginning to stir since we walked in. Then, there was a satisfying click. "Uh, Rin," Gumi said. She held up her hand, which I had handcuffed to me. "What are you doing?"

"I'm arresting the Masked Gentleman, of course."

* * *

 **?'s POV**

I began to laugh. I knew Rin was clever, but I honestly hadn't expected her to figure me out. The radio on my belt was going off. "Midnight, and no sign of the Masked Gentleman yet. Be on standby." No one else had figured it out yet. "What's so funny?" Rin pouted. "Nothing," I smiled. Using my free arm, I pulled off my mask and officer uniform. "Just like I thought," Rin said. "You were the Masked Gentleman. Where's Gumi?"

"She's asleep in one of those police cars. She's completely fine," I reassured. "Now, how did you figure me out? I'm a bit disappointed that I was discovered."

"It was simple," Rin smirked. "I was suspicious of you the moment you returned to the van. Gumi talks more about herself than anything and she would never turn down anything with carrots in it." I laughed again. "I'll have to do more research next time," I said. "Well, I'll have to be going."

"Not so fast," Rin said. She grabbed my handcuffed arm. "You have the diamond already, don't you? When you pretended to check it, you actually stole it and exchanged it for a fake one." Man, she really knew everything. I'll have to be even more careful next time. I pulled the diamond out of my pocket. "This little thing?" It was a magnificent gem, probably worth billions of yen. I could understand why the client wanted it so bad. Selling it could make anyone rich instantly. Rin tried to grab it from my hand, but I quickly put it back in my pocket.

That's when Rin started to scream. "Police! The Masked Gentleman is in here!" She maintained a firm grip on my arm. She didn't trust only the handcuffs to hold me back. Smart, but even that wouldn't be good enough. I pulled a small explosive filled with sleeping gas out of my other pocket. "Sorry, Rin," I smiled. She looked at me in alarm. "Don't worry. This will only put you to sleep." I threw the explosive down and a pinkish gas filled the room, sleeping gas. Rin's eyes got droopy and she fell to the ground. Luckily, I had a lock pick and I released the handcuffs. "See you next time, Rinny," I winked. I ran to the window and kicked it. The window shattered. Locking glass windows wasn't very effective. "Damn it," I heard Rin mumble. She was still slightly awake. That was pretty strong sleeping gas. She should be completely unconscious. She was stronger than I thought. "Bye," I waved, as I jumped out the window.

The police were all rushing in to help Rin. They wouldn't notice me disappearing into the woods. As I ran, I couldn't help, but smile. Another successful heist. Maybe this thief thing wasn't as bad as I first thought. Once I was deep in the woods, I pulled out my yellow cellphone. I dialed Piko's number and waited for him to pick up. "You got it?" he answered. "Yeah, were are you at?" I asked. "I parked alongside the road about a mile and a half out from that mansion."

"Okay, I'm close," I told him. "I'll be there in five." I continued through the forest and found Piko's car parked alongside the road. He was pretending to be fixing a tire, otherwise people would be suspicious of a car just sitting there. I got into the back of the car. Piko put all his tire stuff in the trunk and then got in the driver's seat. I took off my mask and set the diamond on the table between the two front seats. "Let's go," I said. Piko drove off into the night, and we were gone, just like that.

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

When I came to, I was surrounded my officers. Dad was there too. "Are you okay?" Dad said. He sounded worried. "What happened?" I rubbed my eyes and sat up. "Did he get away, the Masked Gentleman?" If everyone was too busy focusing on me, he could have easily gotten away. "He never came," Dad said. "The diamond is safe." I shook my head. "No, it's a fake. He was disguised as Inspector Gumi and exchanged the real diamond for a fake one. He knocked me out with sleeping gas and jumped out the window." I pointed to the broken window. Glass pieces were all around its base.

All the officers were in awe. They cursed their own stupidity. Then one of them said, "So, where's the Inspector?"

"She's in one of the police cars outside, asleep. She should be fine." A few officers ran off to find Gumi, while Dad helped me stand up. He was worried, but I assured him I was fine. I had no cuts or bruises. I was only angry. He had tricked me again, and he wasn't afraid to use dirty tactics like sleeping gas. I just wish I could've seen his face. His mask covered his distinguishing features and he was definitely wearing a wig, so I didn't even know what his hair color was. But I did know his voice. There was something about it that was familiar. I had heard it somewhere before, but where.

"We found her!" an officer called from outside. Like the Masked Gentleman said, Gumi was fast asleep in the police car. When she woke up, she explained that she had been attacked when she went to go get snacks. The Masked Gentleman had put her to sleep and put her in a police car. There was still a crowd outside the mansion. The police tried to explain to the Masked Gentleman's "fans" that he had already come and gone. They were disappointed to say the least.

After that, Dad took me home. He was quiet the whole ride home. He was also disappointed that the Masked Gentleman had gotten away. I fell asleep on the ride home. It had been another late night, but luckily tomorrow was the weekend. I could sleep in. I wanted to have a peaceful sleep, but I was plagued with nightmares of the Masked Gentleman. He seemed to be mocking me by following me in my dreams. Damn him!

* * *

 **Reviews and criticism appreciated! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Head's up, there won't be a new chapter for at least a week. I'll be gone on a mini-vacation, so I won't be able to post until I return. Depending on how I'm feeling after my trip, the chapter will come sooner or later.**

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

There was no news from the Masked Gentleman until Thursday the next week. Oddly enough, that was when Len finally came back to school. I was worried about him when he didn't show up on Monday, but I had no way to contact him. No one seemed to have his phone number. When I saw him walk into class on Thursday, I felt relieved. "Where have you been?" I exclaimed as he sat down in front of me. He was startled by me. "I was worried sick," I said. "I thought something terrible had happened to you!"

"Sorry," Len apologized. "My Grandpa took me on a short trip by surprise. I didn't know I was going to miss class. Were you that worried?" He blushed a bit. "Of course," I told him. "Who wouldn't be worried when their friend disappears for almost a week?" Len apologized again. He hadn't expected anyone to even notice that he was gone. "It's fine," I sighed. "But at least give me your phone number so that this doesn't happen again." The two of us exchanged phone numbers, and then Miku came to class.

"There you are!" she smiled when she saw Len. "Do you know how worried Rin was? I mean, I was a little concerned and so was Kaito, but Rin was _really_ worried." Her ponytails swayed back and forth as she spoke. Len looked embarrassed and guilty. I was worried, but it wasn't his fault. We had no way to contact each other. "It's all good," I told Miku. "He just went on a short trip, but we exchanged phone numbers, so now we can talk whenever."

"That's a good idea!" Miku took out her own phone. "Give me your number too, just in case. Kaito also wanted to get it." Len was surprised that so many people wanted his number. I could tell just from looking at his face. He was quite popular today. Then, Mr. Hiyama came in and ruined the fun by starting class. What a bother!

\- **A FEW HOURS LATER –**

Len and I decided to go the library for lunch, as per usual. We took a seat at my favorite table. "So tell me about your trip?" I asked, as Len started taking out his lunch. "Did you go someplace cool?" He shook his head and gave a weak laugh. "Nothing like that," he said. "My Grandpa had something he needed to take to a… friend and he wanted me to come with. It was up near Sapporo, so the trip took a little while and we ended up staying there a few days."

"Couldn't your Grandpa have just sent whatever he had in the mail?" I took a bite of my lunch. It seemed odd to take a trip so far north just to drop something off. "He wanted to do it personally," Len explained. "It was something of high value, so he didn't want anything to happen to it." It still seemed weird to me, but at least Len got a good vacation out of it. Any time off school seemed fine by me. "What have you been up to?" Len asked. "Nothing much," I replied. "I haven't had much to do since the last time the Masked Gentleman sent a notice. My Dad hasn't had any other cases that I can help work on, so I've mostly just been at home reading manga. Miku, Luka, and I hung out after school on Monday. We did some shopping and went out to eat, nothing major."

"Are you still working on the Masked Gentleman's case?" Len asked. He sounded concerned. "Of course!" I shouted. "I won't give it up until I catch him!" Len sighed, but said nothing. It was meaningless to try and argue with me about this. I was too determined. "Don't worry!" I gave him a thumbs up. "I'm always careful!" That was kind of a lie, considering the Masked Gentleman had knocked me out with sleeping gas last time. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was Dad. A shock of excitement ran through me. Dad only texted me during school for one reason anymore, the Masked Gentleman.

I took out my phone and eagerly opened. "What's wrong?" Len asked. I opened up Dad's text and saw a note signed with a familiar signature. The message attached said, "Inspector Gumi asked specifically for you tonight. Think you can make it?" I showed the screen to Len. "Looks like all this boring is about to end," I smiled. "What does the note say?" Len asked. "The words are kinda small. I can't read them that well."

"I think it says, 'At the top of the tower tonight at midnight, I will steal the false words of Mr. Yuuma. See you then!" The note was signed "The Masked Gentleman". What did he mean he would steal someone's words? Was that even possible? "That sounds like nonsense," Len scoffed. He put his finished lunch in his bag. He was thinking the same thing I was. "Who is this Mr. Yuuma anyways?" I asked. "Isn't he that famous screenwriter?" Len answered. "He wrote the scripts and screenplays for a bunch of popular movie. He's made a lot of money from them lately." I wonder why the Masked Gentleman would be after something from him.

I had another question. Where was the theft going to take place? The notice only said at the top of the tower. I searched Mr. Yuuma with my phone. It took me to a website for his office's headquarters. There was a picture of the office taken from afar. The office was on the top few floors of a huge skyscraper. Bingo! Whatever the Masked Gentleman was after was in that office. I'm sure the police figured all this out already though. It would be hard to stop him if he was going to be up that high, unless he went through the skyscraper's bottom exit. That would be too risky. He'd definitely get caught. There was only one way for him to safely escape, through the air.

"It's almost textbook," I laughed. "What?" Len asked, confused. "It's nothing," I said. "I think I have a plan to catch the Masked Gentleman tonight. It'll be a gamble, but I think it'll pay off."

"Please be careful," Len pleaded. I rubbed his head and messed up his hair. He turned bright red. "I'll be fine," I laughed. "Trust me. Now, we should head back to class." Len fixed his hair and we started to walk back to class. We walked past the reception desk and I remembered that Len had left his library book out last week. "You know you left the book you were reading out last week before you left?" I told him. "I had to put it away. You sure have weird tastes."

"Oh, it was just something for a project," Len said, trying to avoid the subject. I didn't know what project he was talking about since we are in the same class, but I let it slide. I'm sure it wasn't that important.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

When I got home, Dad and I headed straight towards Mr. Yuuma's office. I found out the entire building was owned by him, but he and his company only used the top few floors and rented out the rest. When we arrived, I was in awe at how tall it was. I know I live in city and see stuff like this all the time, but this building was really tall. I felt a bit nervous thinking about my plan for tonight. It suddenly seemed a lot more risky. There were police cars stationed around the building's entrance, but they wouldn't be much help. You'd have to be a fool to try and escape through there.

Dad and I took the elevator all the way up to the building's top floor. As expected, there were officers getting ready for tonight. Some were taking pictures of the office, while others were talking to workers, asking if they had seen any suspicious characters lately. It was possible that the Masked Gentleman had sneaked in early to gather extra information. I found Gumi staring out a large window at the ground below. I walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. She gave a yell. "Oh, Rin!" she exclaimed. "You scared me."

"Are you ready for tonight?" I grinned. "Yes," Gumi said. "But I'll have to be on my guard this time. I really got tricked last time. I can't believe I let him take advantage of me." She seemed pretty beat up about it. "Don't worry," I reassured her. "It wasn't your fault. There was no way you could have known." Gumi thanked me for trying to make her feel better. As we spoke, I looked out the window. It was a long way down, like _really_ long _._ I felt sick to my stomach just looking at it. I was not feeling good about my plan anymore.

"Tonight looks really cut and dry though," Gumi said. "He's backed himself into a corner. There's nowhere for him to run. There'll be officers watching the stairs and elevator. The entrances are blocked and he'd be a fool to jump of the building. It'd be certain death!" He wouldn't be that much of a fool if he did what I think he's planning. I didn't tell Gumi about my suspicions though. If I wanted my plan to work, I had to keep it a secret.

"Are you the head officer?" someone asked from behind us. I turned to see a pink-haired man in a suit. He looked very professional and he wasn't bad looking. "I'm Mr. Yuuma, thank you for coming out tonight." He shook hands with Gumi. He looked awfully young for being an award winning movie writer. "It's our pleasure," Gumi smiled. "I've been meaning to talk to you. I have a few questions. Do you have any idea what the Masked Gentleman might be after? His notice was incredibly vague." I actually thought it was quite specific if you think about it. I had realized what the Masked Gentleman wanted on the way here.

"Doesn't he want to steal one of Mr. Yuuma's scripts?" I interjected. Mr. Yuuma and Gumi looked at me in surprise. "He said he was going to steal 's 'words', right? That could only mean the words that Mr. Yuuma has written, a.k.a. one of his scripts."

"That's brilliant!" Gumi exclaimed. "I knew I could count on you, Rin." I was happy for the praise, but there was something that still bothered me. The Masked Gentleman had called Mr. Yuuma's script "false words". What did that mean? What was untrue about them? "Mr. Yuuma, do you have any idea why the Masked Gentleman would refer to your scripts as 'false'?" I asked. He shook his head. "I have no idea." Gumi and Mr. Yuuma went off to talk about the prepared security measures, leaving me to think to myself.

That line of the notice was really bothering me. I took out my phone and tried to find some answers. I looked up Mr. Yuuma again to see if I could find any information about his scripts. I assumed the script the Masked Gentleman wanted to steal was for a new movie. Why would a thief need something like that? I scrolled through the results with no luck. Nothing seemed important, until one headline caught my eye. It read, "Accusations Against V.Y. Yuuma Come to Light". What was this about? I clicked on the link and it took me to a website with a news article. After quickly skimming the article, I gathered that someone had anonymously accused Mr. Yuuma of stealing someone else's screenplay. However, the claim had no evidence, so no action was ever taken.

Was that what the Masked Gentleman was talking about? If Mr. Yuuma really was stealing screenplays, then the words he claimed to write didn't actually belong to him. They would be… false in a sense. That was it! The Masked Gentleman had indirectly accused Mr. Yuuma of stealing scripts and screeplays and was planning to steal one of them tonight. Mr. Yuuma seemed like a nice guy. It was hard to believe that he would steal someone else's work, but it was harder to believe that the Masked Gentleman would be wrong about his claim. I decided to keep this newly discovered information to myself. The police didn't need to know just yet.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

It was time. Only a few minutes until midnight. Police were stationed around the officer, but they had no idea what to expect. Though we knew the Masked Gentleman was planning to steal a script, we didn't know which one or where it was. Mr. Yuuma said he had no clue which one the Masked Gentleman was after. The way he said it though made it seem like he was lying. I think he had a vague idea what the Masked Gentleman wanted. He had also figured out it was a plagiarized script, but he couldn't tell the police or he would be caught.

All of a sudden, the room filled with smoke. He was here! I tried to see through the smoke and keep track of all the moving bodies. Police were shouting orders and running around. The Masked Gentleman must have snuck in here as a police officer. They were the only ones allowed up here. The smoke began to clear and I could see one person out of place. They were standing on the top of a desk, which I believed was Mr. Yuuma's. As the smoke faded, I could see something in his hand. It was a script. He already had it, which meant that he would make his escape any minute.

I bolted out of the room towards the emergency stairs. They led directly up to the roof. No one saw me leave amongst the chaos. I pushed open the roof door and was greeted by the night sky. The moon was bright and illuminate the roof. There was railing that surrounded the perimeter of the roof, but it wouldn't be a big problem. I ran behind the small space that the door was connected to so no one could see me. I was silent.

Then, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. The person on the stairs stepped on the roof and began to laugh. It was him, just as I expected. He was going to escape through the roof. "Not so fast!" I shouted, running out into the moonlight. The Masked Gentleman turned around, surprised. The moonlight fell onto his face, but most of it was covered by his mask. It was almost picture perfect. "My, my," he taunted, stepping closer to me. "What do we have here?"

"You're not getting away," I said firmly. "Not this time." He laughed again. "You're a clever one, girl."

"Just call me by my name," I shouted. "I know you know it. You called me it when you were disguised as Gumi."

"Fine," the Masked Gentleman smirked. "Rin. You're smart. You managed to figure me out before all the police. I bet those fools are running downstairs right now, trying to figure out where I went. Only you realized that the only way of escape would be."

"Through the sky," I smiled. "You'd be an idiot to try and get away any other way." The Masked Gentleman took a few steps closer and I took a few steps back to get away from him. This was going perfect so far. Still, a nervous feeling was growing in the pit of my stomach. This could end poorly if the Masked Gentleman didn't act the way I predicted.

"Unfortunately," the Masked Gentleman said, pouting a little. "I can't let you call the police. You understand, right?" He came closer and I moved back. My back hit the roof's railing. This was it. "Sorry," I grinned. "I can't let you get away that easy." With that, I used my arm on the railing to thrust myself upward. The Masked Gentleman's face turned white. My legs left the ground and I felt them hit the rail as I went over. All I could see was the sky. I was falling, straight down off the side of the skyscraper.

I began to scream. I didn't realize how stupid this plan was until I had put it in motion. It was something I had seen in a movie. Was I so stupid to think it would work? Panic gripped my body. This was it. I was going to die. Then I saw something black dive off the building. It was the Masked Gentleman. As he fell, he tried to move closer to me. Suddenly, a black paraglider appeared behind him, helping him fly through the air. "What a copycat," I thought, though I was still panicking.

"Give me your hand!" he yelled. He stuck out his hand and I quickly grabbed it. It was just barely in my reach. The Masked Gentleman pulled me close to his body and held me tight. I held onto his arm. I wasn't letting go. I didn't want to die or let him get away. I could hear police sirens below us. The police were panicking. They couldn't figure out where the Masked Gentleman went. They couldn't see us. We were still too high in the sky, not to mention the Masked Gentleman was wearing all black. He was almost impossible to see.

"Are you crazy?" the Masked Gentleman shouted, as the two of us flew off to safety. He seemed to be heading far from the office building, towards a park in the distance. "A little," I smiled. "But you did exactly as I predicted, though I was terrified there for a second." The Masked Gentleman gave a sigh. It was almost kind of cute. "Why did it have to be you who got in my way?" he muttered. What did he mean by that?

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Here we were, just the two of us. I had a few more minutes until we landed. I needed to get as much information out of him as possible. "Why are you doing this?" I asked. He shook his head. "I won't go spilling all my secrets," he grinned. "You're not clever enough to trick me." I frowned and tried to turn my head to look at his face. He looked handsome, but I couldn't make out any of his defining facial features. With my one free hand, I quickly grabbed the Masked Gentleman's mask. It easily came off and I finally got a look at his face.

I gave a gasp. That face… it looked just like… but it couldn't be. That was impossible. The darkness was playing tricks on my eyes. It was hard to see his face in the dark. "Give that back!" the Masked Gentleman shouted. He tried to grab the mask from my hand, causing the hang glider to veer to the right. I gave a scream. The Masked Gentleman's grip loosened on me and I was afraid I was going to fall.

I grabbed onto him with both arms and he snatch the mask from my hand. He gained control of the glider and put the mask back on. "Why did you do that?" he yelled. "I wanted to know the face of my hero, of course," I smiled. I could tell that the Masked Gentleman was blushing. He blushed easily, just like… him. "I'm kidding," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I wanted to know the face of Tokyo's greatest criminal." There was a nagging fear in the back of my mind. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed true.

Both of us were silent as the glider landed in an empty park. It was so dark, I could hardly see. It was a good place for him to make his escape. As we touched the ground, he let go of me. He folded up his hang glider and put in a small bag he had on his back. I hadn't noticed it before. I stood there silently as he prepared to make his escape. "Are you just going to let me go?" he asked, ready to leave. I shrugged. "I can't do anything to stop you. The police aren't here and I can't stop you myself." He smiled at me. "Then have a good night… Rin. I'll see you next time." With that, he ran into the forest behind the park and disappeared into the trees.

After he left, I fell to my knees and gave a weak laugh. My phone was buzzing like crazy. It was probably Dad, worried about where I was. I didn't answer it. My mind was racing. Everything seemed so impossible, but when I put that face together with that voice, it just seemed to perfect. Did he notice? Did he think that I couldn't see his face that well? Maybe, it really wasn't him. Maybe, I was just crazy. It couldn't be true. No, it wasn't. What were the chances of it anyways? The chances that the Masked Gentleman had been sitting in front of me during class this whole time. The chances that the Masked Gentleman was really my friend, Len.

* * *

 **?'s POV**

Once I was deep into the woods, I could breathe easy. She almost caught me back there. When she took of my mask, I was terrified, but there was no way she could see anything. I could hardly see her face in the dark. It was impossible for her to see mine. It would be annoying if she got in the way of things. I pulled out the script that I had put into my jacket. It was for a new movie that V.Y. Yuuma was planning to help produce. Unfortunately, his script was stolen from another person. In fact, all of his successful movies were. He had used his power and influence to shut up everyone who he stole from. One person, however, contacted Grandpa and asked to get his script back.

I put the script into my bag and quickly changed clothes in the forest so that I wouldn't look suspicious when I left. My house wasn't far, so I planned on walking home. It had been another successful heist. It was a close call, but it was successful nonetheless.

* * *

 **Bonus points if you know what movie Rin watched. Don't try it at home kids.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Rin's POV**

Last night, I made it home safe after being left in the park. I called Dad as I walked back and told him that I went out to run an errand and got lost. He wouldn't be happy if he heard about my little "stunt". Not to mention I was the only person who had seen the face of the Masked Gentleman. I planned to tell Gumi about it later, but I didn't want Dad to know.

I came to school the next morning with a sense of dread. What should I do? I can't just ask him. That's a serious accusation. If I was wrong, he'd be mad. I'll try asking him indirectly. I took a seat in my desk. Len was already there, sitting in front of me. "Hey, Len?" I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. He turned to me with a smile. "What's up, Rin?" He sounded so much like the Masked Gentleman when I really thought about it. The way he said my name… it was too similar.

"What were you doing last night?" I asked. Len thought to himself for a moment. "I was watching a movie with my Grandpa. He rented some animated film that he wanted to see really badly. It was kinda embarrassing since he's so old and stuff. Why do you ask?" His answer was flawless. There was no hesitation. It didn't sound like he was lying. I guess I was wrong. It was weird how similar he looked though to the Masked Gentleman. The darkness must have been playing tricks on my eyes. I couldn't see his face that well, so I must have imagined seeing the face of someone I knew really well.

"Oh, no reason," I said. "Hey, do you want to go out later?" I felt bad in my mind for thinking poorly of him, so we should do something to make up for it. He turned red. "Like a d-date?" he stuttered. I laughed. "If you want to think of it like that, sure." I wasn't in to the whole "dating" thing, but I wouldn't mind going on a "date" with Len. It would just be two friends hanging out after school. "Sure," he smiled. He had a nice smile. It was cute.

"We can go get some food and stuff," I said. "That sounds good," Len replied. "Awesome!" I gave him a smile. "It's a date." Len turned back around as Mr. Hiyama entered the classroom. I noticed that Miku wasn't at school today. I quickly stole a glance at my phone. She had texted me. She said that she had a cold and would be home sick today. What a shame, really. She'll be dearly missed.

 **\- HOURS LATER –**

Instead of going home after school, Len and I headed downtown to hang out. There was a fast food place I wanted to eat it, and it wasn't too far school. I brought a lot of money to school, so I offered to pay for Len's meal, but he refused. He said he couldn't let me pay for anything. He didn't know that I was secretly feeling guilty about my accusations and wanted to make up for it. After a bit of walking, we arrived at the fast food restaurant and entered. It wasn't very busy, which was nice.

We took a seat at an empty table, and set our bags down. Then we went up to order. I got a burger, some fries, and an orange smoothie. Len got the same, but with a strawberry banana smoothie. We sat down with our food and began to eat. "What did you think of class today?" I asked between bites. I didn't have anything more interesting to talk about. "It was awful," Len sighed. He took a sip of his smoothie. "I don't think I've ever taken that many notes in my life."

"Tell me about it," I laughed. It was nice to chat with someone like this. It was casual and fun. I didn't do it too often, so it was refreshing. Whenever I went out with Miku and Luka, it was usually more chaotic than this since they're both kind of crazy. There was an awkward silence between us. C'mon, think of something to say! "So, did you hear about the Masked Gentleman?" I asked. It was the first thing that popped into my mind, go figure. "Yeah," Len said, looking up from his food. "Didn't he steal something last night? It was something weird…"

"A script."

"Yeah, that was it. I wonder what a phantom thief would want with something like that. I probably doesn't sell for much on the black market."

"I was thinking the same thing. Honestly, I don't get him. He's a strange guy. He doesn't seem to be in it just to steal and sell stuff. It's almost like he has an ulterior motive." Len looked a little nervous. He never seemed to like all this talk about the Masked Gentleman. "I got into a little trouble with him last night, actually," I confessed. Len's eyes turned serious. "Yeah?" he said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I laughed. "Thank god the Masked Gentleman helped me out or I would have been as good as dead." I tried to laugh some more, but it was scary remembering it. The feeling of plummeting to the ground with nothing between you and the concrete. It was enough to give me nightmares. "You promised me you would be careful," Len sighed. He looked really worried about me. Now it was my turn to blush. I felt bad about worrying him. "Sorry," I apologized. I quickly stood up and grabbed all my trash. "I'm gonna go throw this out," I announced, hoping to escape the temporary awkwardness.

I walked over to the trashcan and threw everything away. That's when I noticed a large TV in the corner of the restaurant. It was playing the news. There was a picture of a pretty woman who looked vaguely familiar. "Popular singer and actress, IA, will be visiting Tokyo this week to help promote her newest album," the news anchor said. I think she sang the opening theme to an anime I liked. "To celebrate her newest album, IA purchased the expensive and beautiful amethyst necklace rumored to once have belonged to a queen of England." There was an image on the necklace onscreen. It was beautiful. The gemstone at least had to be worth millions. It was on a pretty silver chain. It seemed like the kind of thing a celebrity would wear.

I walked backed to the table and sat down. "Did you see the news?" I said, pointing to the TV. "That's some necklace. I wonder how much she had to pay for that thing?" Len looked up at the TV. "It's probably worth a fortune," he agreed. "It's the kind of thing that the Masked Gentleman is probably itching to steal," I laughed. "I bet he's already come up with a plan to steal it." If I was a phantom thief, that necklace would definitely be on my hit list. Len and I had a good laugh about that. Then Len looked down at his phone to check the time. "Shoot," he cursed. "I have to get home. I didn't realize it was so late. I'll see you tomorrow, Rin! Don't jump off anymore buildings while I'm gone, okay?" He quickly got up and ran out of the restaurant, leaving his trash behind.

"Got it!" I laughed as he left. He seemed like he was in a hurry. Where did he have to go? I picked up his trash and brought it over to the trashcan. I was sad that he had to leave so early. I was looking forward to spending some time alone with him. When he left, I felt kind of… empty almost. I threw his stuff away and grabbed my bag. I walked out the door when a sudden thought hit me. I didn't tell Len anything about falling of that building. In fact, I hadn't told anyone yet, not even Gumi. I was planning on texting her later tonight about the Masked Gentleman. How did Len know? It was impossible, unless… No freaking way! Unless Len really was the Masked Gentleman!

My mind was frozen in shock for a second. I couldn't process anything. I didn't know what to think. I wasn't angry. I was just in awe. I was awoken from my shock by the buzzing of my phone. It was Dad and he was calling me. I picked it up. "Hello?" I answered. "Rin, are you near that fancy hotel downtown? The one across from that clothing store you and your friends like?"

"Yeah, I'm relatively close," I replied. "Why?"

"The Masked Gentleman just sent out a notice and Gumi wants you there right away. I'd take you there, but I'm feeling a bit under the weather." I guess Miku's cold was spreading. "I'll be there," I promised. "I'll text you when I get there. Feel better." I closed the phone and stuck it in my pocket. I started to run down the sidewalk. The hotel Dad was talking about was only a few blocks away. What could the Masked Gentleman be after there?

As I ran, another piece of the puzzle clicked inside my mind. Len had suddenly left our "date" for a mysterious reason. Was it so he could go steal something? And who was the other person that had texted? It had to be someone who knew his secret. Once the hotel came into view, I could see that there was some serious business going on. There were cop cars everywhere. Curious pedestrians gathered around, wondering what was going on. I pushed through the crowd to the hotel's front entrance.

"Bystanders aren't allowed," someone said, stopping me. It was a police officer. "I'm here to see Inspector Gumi," I explained. "She specifically asked for me. I'm Rin." The police officer looked unimpressed. "Sorry, but you'll have to leave. Bystanders aren't allowed." The officer started to push me away when I heard Gumi's voice. "Rin!" she exclaimed. The officer looked at her in surprise. "I-inspector!" he stuttered. He immediately let go of me. "There you are," Gumi smiled. "I've been waiting for you. Thanks for finding her for me, officer."

"N-no problem," the man said. I winked at him, just to be annoying. Gumi took me into the hotel and began to explain the situation. "Did you get the run-down yet?" she asked. I shook my head. "I'm clueless."

"You know that popular singer, IA, right? She's staying in this hotel and she's currently in possession of a very valuable necklace that the Masked Gentleman has set his sights on." It was exactly as I had predicted. "He sent a late notice, but promised to be here at the normal time. This is a tough situation. I don't know what to do to stop him. He got away from us last time. I have no idea how he escaped."

"He jumped off the roof," I blurted out. Gumi gave me a questioning look. "He had a hang glider," I explained. "He grabbed the script and jumped right off."

"How do you know that?" Gumi asked. "No one saw him."

"Well," I said sheepishly. "I did. I kinda… jumped off with him."

"What!" Gumi exclaimed. I pulled her into a corner of the hotel lobby and told her to quiet down. "I had a feeling that he was going to jump off. I saw something like it in a movie once, so I thought I'd… err… pursue him. Don't worry, I'm fine. He caught me."

"You were face to face with the Masked Gentleman?" Gumi said. "Did you see his face?" I bit my lip. Should I tell her? I could risk incriminating Len. I still wasn't 100% if my theory about him was right. If it wasn't, he could get into a lot of trouble. But a good detective always has to serve on the side of justice, right? "I briefly saw it," I said. "If I saw his face in a crowd, I could maybe pick him out."

"Rin, do you know how great this is?" Gumi smiled. "We finally have a lead on him. I'm not condoning your reckless behavior, but this is amazing."

"Also, please don't tell my Dad," I begged. "He'll kill me." Gumi agreed to keep it a secret. She said that a good detective has to take some risks every now and then. After our little conversation, Gumi took me up to the floor where IA and her necklace were. There weren't as many officers as I was expecting. In fact, there were none. There were only a few tall, scary looking guys in suits and sunglasses. They looked like bodyguards.

"IA is a bit… sensitive," Gumi whispered as we approached her room. "She requested that we have no officers near or in her room." That's ridiculous, I thought. How are the police supposed to catch a thief if they aren't even allowed close to the thing he's going to steal? "I got special permission for the two of us, though." I noticed that there were very few rooms on this floor. It was probably because the rooms were bigger and grander than the normal ones. These rooms were meant for celebrities.

As Gumi and I entered the room, I was in awe at how spectacular it was. The room seemed bigger than my entire house with furnishings fit for a king. Was this how the other half lived? I was jealous. I noticed someone sitting on the edge of the room's bed. It was a girl with long hair. Was that IA? "Excuse us," Gumi said, giving a slight cough. The girl turned and stood up. "Are you the head inspector?" she asked. She walked over to us. She was beautiful, just like a model. Even without make-up, her face was perfect. She had on a pink skirt and one of those shoulder shirts. Her clothes were simple, but they looked good on her.

"That's me," Gumi replied. "Who's this?" the girl pointed at me with a disapproving frown. "There can't be kids running around up here."

"This is Rin," Gumi explained. "She's like my assistant and is a big help when we're trying to catch the Masked Gentleman." Kid? Who's a kid? I'm sixteen. The girl could only be a few years older than me. "I take it you're IA?" Gumi asked. "Yeah," IA replied, crossing her arms. "May we see the necklace?" Gumi asked. IA led us to a small beside table. She opened up one of the drawers and I saw two identical necklaces inside. IA grabbed one and put it on her deck. "Are you just going to wear it out in the open?" I exclaimed. "Idiot," IA scoffed. "This one's a fake, a distraction. The real one is in that drawer, the Masked Gentleman will never think to look for it there."

"It was a plan created by one of our officers," Gumi told me. "Pretty ingenious, right?" It was a good plan. Hiding the real necklace in a strange spot, while keeping the fake one out in the open. Even if the Masked Gentleman got away, he would go home with a worthless imitation.

 **?'s POV**

I almost started to laugh as I overheard their conversation. I had placed bugs earlier all throughout the room when I was disguised as a security guard. I could hear everything. Don't they know they shouldn't discuss their plans out loud? I looked over at my costume, which was lying on my bed. Grandpa was in the living room asleep, while Piko was preparing for tonight. I'd need a good disguise if I was going to make it out of there. Not to mention we had to set to up the back-up plan in case something went wrong. There would be no jumping off the roof this time.

 **Rin's POV**

"Are you sure you don't want any police?" I asked IA. "It seems like a big risk."

"I can handle it," she grinned. "Our plan is perfect." Even a perfect plan can still fail. "Besides I don't like being surrounded by people for too long." That struck me as odd considering she was a celebrity. Wasn't it her job to sing in front of crowds of people? "Let's go, Rin," Gumi said, heading towards the door. "I'll be there in a sec," I said. "I just want to check something out real quick." Gumi left and headed back downstairs.

"Make it quick," IA grumbled. "I'm gonna go take a shower." She disappeared into the bathroom on the right side of the room. I spotted a huge wardrobe in the back of the room. Perfect. I quietly walked over and opened it up. There was nothing inside, so there was plenty of space for me. I hopped in and closed the door. This would be a good place to stakeout and wait. IA didn't think she needed any help, but I knew the Masked Gentleman better than her. Better than even I thought before. He was clever. He could trick us all. Plus, I need to see him tonight. I needed to confirm my suspicions. I texted Gumi and told her not to worry about me. I lied and said I was wandering the hotel, looking for any way the Masked Gentleman could get it. She took this as a valid excuse. It was 8:00. I had a long time to wait. Good thing my phone battery was fully charged.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

Throughout the night, I could hear IA moving in the room. Sometimes people would come in, but they would quickly leave. I prayed that she wouldn't open the wardrobe and kick me out. Finally, it was nearing midnight. I held my head close to the wardrobe door, so I could hear everything. The only ones in the room were IA and me. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Room service!" someone called on the other side. Did she seriously order room service at a time like this? I swear…

I heard the door open and someone enter the room. They must have been pushing a cart because I heard the wheels rattle against the ground. I heard a sickening lock from the door. Who locked the door? I tried to pear through the cracks between the wardrobes door's, but I couldn't see much. "I don't remember ordering room service," I heard IA say. "My manager must've sent something up for me. He's probably worried. Thanks, kid."

I looked at my phone. It was exactly midnight. If IA didn't order room service, no one did. The person who brought that food was no ordinary bellboy. It was certainly the Masked Gentleman. I heard IA enter the door to the bathroom. Her back had to be turned to him. "You can go now?" she set. That's when she gave a gasp. She must've turned around and the Masked Gentleman must've shed his disguise.

"Y-you're…." she stammered. I resisted the urge to jump out of the wardrobe. It wasn't time yet. I had to stay patient. "Good evening," the Masked Gentleman announced. His voice was soft and seductive, like he was trying to lure her into a trap. "How are you on this fine night?" Could such words filled with deceit really belong to Len?

"I assume you're here for this," IA announced. "The necklace?" the Masked Gentleman said. I could feel his cheeky grin, even in the wardrobe. "You can't have it," IA replied firmly. "Why not? It's right in front of me."

"This is a fake." I almost fell over. Did she really just say that? The whole point of having the fake was to trick the Masked Gentleman into stealing that one. If he knew it was fake, he would go looking for the real one. The Masked Gentleman gave a laugh. "No, it isn't. That's the real one. You thought you could fool me, but I've really done my research." No way! Did IA really have the real one on all along? Did Gumi know about this or did IA have her own little plan?

"Please hand it over nicely," the Masked Gentleman asked. "You know it doesn't belong to you." IA was silent. She was scared. She was going to hand it over. What else could she do? This was my moment to shine. I burst out of the wardrobe with a yell. "Stop right there!" I commanded. IA and the Masked Gentleman looked at me in awe. "How'd you get in here?" IA exclaimed. Both her hands were gripping the necklace. She looked ready to cry.

"I'd expect no less from you," the Masked Gentleman smiled. "Rin." That was it. I ran towards him and pushed him to the ground. "HELP!" IA called, running to the door. She tried to open, but it looked like it had been locked from the outside. "It's no use," the Masked Gentleman snickered as I pinned him to the ground. "It's locked and everyone outside is asleep." He had knocked out the body guards. That's how he had been let in so easily. "Bastard," I said, keeping my hand against his neck. If he wanted, he could easily overpower me. I had to pretend to be strong and intimidate him.

The Masked Gentleman clicked his tongue. "No need to get violent," he smirked. "IA, call the police up, now!" I commanded. IA pulled her cellphone out her pocket. "Yes, inspector?" she said quickly. "He's up here. Send help! Hurry!"

"You're game is up," I said. "You have nowhere to run."

"That's what you think." He suddenly gave a push and threw me off of him. I landed on the ground with a _thud._ He stood before me, towering. His mask was still on, but his black wig was slightly out of place. I could see blonde hairs poking through. His blue eyes stared me down. There was no doubt in my mind now. Though his personality seemed slightly, the physical resemblance was perfect. It had to be Len.

"The necklace, please?" the Masked Gentleman said, turning to IA. "Let's make this easy." She was shaking now. Her wobbly hands reach to her neck and undid the necklace. She set it in his extended hand. "Don't be so scared," he said softly. "I don't bite." Suddenly, there was a loud knocking at the door. "Police! Open up!" I could hear Gumi. "You have to break down the door!" I yelled.

"That's my cue to bolt," the Masked Gentleman smiled. "Thank you ladies for a lovely time, but I really must be leaving." Where did he plan on going?" He started running towards the large windows that made up the back of the large hotel room. I quickly stood up and tried to race after him. Where was he going? As he approached the window, he stuck his foot out and broke it with a deafening smash. Pieces of glass flew everywhere. I could see one piece cut his face, leaving a small trail of blood on his cheek. He jumped out the opening and fell straight down. I ran to the window and leaned over.

I could see him gliding down the side of the building, as if there was an invisible ladder there. There must've been something he was grabbing onto. I wanted to follow him, but I looked at how far down the ground was. If I messed up, there would be no one to save me this time.

The hotel room door fell to the ground and officers poured in. "Where did he go?" IA and I both pointed to the broken window. Gumi entered the room. She had a radio in her hand. "He's escaped off the side of the hotel. All ground units be on the look-out. He couldn't have gotten far." She approached IA and me. "Are you both okay? Are you injured?"

Luckily, we were both fine. The broken glass hadn't hit us, but it had hit him. Tomorrow, he would have a nice scar on his face. Then, there would be no denying his true identity. "Let's have a doctor check you both out just in case." I didn't need a doctor, but IA might. She seemed frightened. That bratty celebrity attitude she had been sporting quickly disappeared under pressure. I could see she had been putting on a show. She just wanted to look tough. I didn't blame her though. It's probably tough to be famous.

A doctor on site examined me and gave me the all clear to go home. Gumi decided she would take me home in her squad car. "I can't believe he got away, again," Gumi groaned as we drove. "This can't keep happening. Every time is a failure."

"Don't say that," I reassured her. "Someday, and I feel like that someday might be soon." Gumi looked at me confused, but said nothing. I felt bad withholding information from her. I knew the Masked Gentleman's true identity, though I doubt anyone would believe me if I told them. Who would believe it was a handsome, slightly timid sixteen year old? My heart sank just thinking about it. My friend, who put up with me and my detective otakuness… my friend, who laughed with me and was always so nice… he was a criminal. He had lied to be this whole time. There was stabbing pain in my chest. What was this? I felt so sad I was ready to cry. A few tears fell from my eyes.

"What's wrong?" Gumi asked in a concerned tone. "Don't get too upset. Like you said, we'll get him soon. You don't need to worry. Trust me!" She gave me a thumbs up and tried to look supportive. If only she knew. If only she knew…


	7. Chapter 7

**And the updates continue! Thanks to everyone that has been reviewing and supporting this story. It has been so much fun to write. Hopefully, everything will be finished before the summer ends. I'm toying with the idea of a new story and have written a few chapters, but it won't be posted unless I completely finish writing it before school starts. This is first priority though.**

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

When I returned to school on Monday, there was a dragging feeling in the pit of my stomach. My head was swirling. I had almost asked Dad if I could stay home sick, but I had to come. I arrived at school early, so that I would be the first one in the classroom. I sat in my desk and laid my head down. Once Len arrived, everything would be confirmed. There would be no more doubt. Slowly, people entered the classroom. Everyone was talking and cheery. I wish I could be as carefree as them right now.

Then, I saw him come in. He looked at me and smiled. He waved and I gave a weak wave back. He didn't suspect a thing. He bounced over and took a seat in his desk. "Good morning," he grinned. "Hey, sorry again about leaving you yesterday. My Grandpa needed some help with something." Normally, I would've have been impressed about how open and confident he was being. His shy demeanor had begun to vanish. I saw him talking to more people and stutter less. However, there was something else that was more distracting.

On his cheek, there was a small scar. If you weren't looking for it, it would be easily missed. It was in the exact same place as where the Masked Gentleman got cut last night. I buried my head in my hands and groaned. "What's wrong?" Len asked. He stood up and put his arm on my back. "Are you okay?" He started to rub my back. "I'll take you to the nurse." He was being so kind, it made me sick. I pushed myself up, but kept my hands firmly on my desk. My knuckles were turning white. My hair covered my eyes.

"Go away," I growled. I felt Len take his hand of my back. "What?" he asked. He sounded hurt and confused. I turned to face him and I couldn't take it anymore. He looked at me with those innocent blue eyes, like he hadn't done anything wrong. It was like I had become the bad guy. "Rin?" Len said. He took a step closer to me and I backed up, hitting my desk. I almost fell over, but I caught myself. "Stop it!" I shouted. I knew that everyone in the classroom was looking at me now. I was making a scene. Embarrassed and angry, I ran out of the classroom in tears. I could hear Len calling for me, and I prayed he wouldn't pursue me.

I didn't know what to do. What should I say? What should I do? I ran into the nurse's office. I lied and said I had a stomach ache. The nurse let me lie down on one of the empty cots. I sat there, staring blankly at the ceiling. My mind was telling me that I had to call the police. With the scar as proof, Len would be convicted and sent to jail. One of Japan's greatest thieves would be placed behind bars. It would be a huge burden lifted off Gumi and Dad's shoulders. However, my heart was telling me something else. I knew I wouldn't be able to turn Len in. He was my friend, almost a best friend. He had been so nice to me. Just thinking about his dorky smile and awkwardness made me happy. I can't imagine sending that to jail.

All my stressful thoughts gave me a headache. I fell asleep for a while, hoping to would go away. I was shaken awake by the nurse, who asked if I was feeling any better. "Yes, I think I'm better now," I said, sitting up. "I'll head back to class. Sorry for bothering you." The nurse said it was no big deal and said I could come back later if I wasn't feeling any better. She even offered to call Dad and him come pick me up.

When I entered my classroom, everything was silent. Everyone was staring at me. Miku gave me a worried look. She didn't know where I had been. "Sorry," I said to Mr. Hiyama, who was in the middle of teaching. "I was at the nurse's for a bit."

"It's fine," he said. "Just take your seat." I slowly walked back to my desk, trying to keep my eyes on the floor. I didn't want to see his face. I sat down and took out my notes. I could see the back of Len's head. Even that made me feel ill. I tried to take notes, but I didn't have the heart. I'll have to copy Miku's later. Throughout class, Miku kept giving me nervous glances. If anyone could tell that I was upset, it was her.

Finally, the day ended and I could go home. I needed to leave as soon as possible. I stood up and began to run when someone grabbed my arm. They had a firm and strong grip. It could only be him. I turned around, but kept my eyes down at the ground. "Are you okay?" Len asked. "Miku and I were really worried. Are you not feeling well?" I bit my lip so hard it almost burst. "I'm fine," I said angrily. I pulled my arm out of his grip. "Now leave me alone."

"Rin, don't be so rude," Miku scolded as she joined the conversation. "He was really worried about you." She set her hand on my shoulder. "What's wrong?" she said softly. She took my head and set it on her shoulder. "You can tell me. That's what best friends are for." By now, the other students had left the classroom. I started to sob. Miku put her hand on my hand. She could tell something was seriously wrong. I rarely ever cried. "I think you should go," Miku whispered to Len. "I'll text you later." I heard him walk slowly out of the classroom. It was all clear now.

"Rin, you have to tell me what's wrong," Miku said. She sounded seriously. I wanted to tell her everything, but I knew I couldn't. Len would be caught for sure if I did. "It's nothing," I lied, wiping away my tears. "I've just been a little stressed out lately and I wasn't feeling well today, so I kinda cracked. I'm really okay." Miku looked wary of my answer, but she accepted. "Go home and get some sleep," she said. "Don't come to school tomorrow if you aren't feeling up to it. I'll give you the notes for what you miss."

"Thanks," I smiled weakly. It was nice to have a good friend to count on. With that, Miku and I headed home. Her house was in the opposite direction, so we couldn't walk together. When I got home, Dad was still at work. The house was empty and I had everything to myself. Immediately, I went upstairs and changed into pajamas. I jumped onto my bed and pulled up the covers. All I wanted to do was sleep. When you were sleeping, you couldn't think about all your other problems.

For the next week, I didn't talk to Len. I avoided him at all costs. I had nothing to say. I was afraid that if I saw him, I might say something I'd regret. He tried to talk to me. He sent text messages every day and left notes on my desk. He turned around to talk to me in class, but I wouldn't respond. Miku didn't question my strange behavior. She assumed that Len and I had gotten into a fight, though it was one-sided on my part. That entire week the Masked Gentleman didn't steal anything. I didn't have to confront him there.

On Sunday, I got another text from Len. I was feeling a bit better, so I decided to read it. "Are you mad at me?" it read. A guilty feeling rose in my stomach. He didn't know a thing. "No," I replied. "Sorry for being so weird this week." That was an impulse text. I really wasn't mad. I was just… disappointed. I didn't want to give up my friendship. "To make up for it, how about you come over to my house today?" Len responded. His house? I thought about it for a second. Maybe it couldn't hurt to see him and talk things out. Obviously, I wouldn't reveal that I knew his secret, but maybe I could inadvertently dissuade him from stealing. If he stopped stealing things, then there would be no issue. We could go about are daily lives, just as we had before.

"Sure!" I texted back. "What's your address?" He texted me his address. I promised to be over there in a few minutes. I changed into some nicer clothes and walked to his house. When I got there, I was in awe at its magnificence. He didn't live in a house. He lived in a mansion. I forgot he was a rich kid. Why did someone like him need to steal stuff anyway? It looked like he had all the money in the world. I walked up to the door and knocked. I waited patiently for someone to come. I felt out of place.

The door opened and there was a man with silver hair standing there. He looked like he was only a few years older than me. His eyes were different colors. "Are you Rin?" he asked. "Yes…" I said. The man was wearing a nice suit. Was he a butler or something? "Please come in," he smiled. "Master Len is waiting for you. I'm Piko, by the way." Piko led me into the house and into the living room. Everything looked so expensive. There were paintings on the wall and the furniture looked so nice I was afraid to sit on it.

I sat down on the black couch, where Piko told me to wait. He said Len would be out in a second. Right on cue, Len entered the living room. He looked cute today in simple jeans and a t-shirt. His appearance almost made me forget how upset I was. "Rin!" he smiled. "I'm so happy you're here! I was really worried." I felt bad again. "Sorry about that," I apologized. "I was being rude."

"No, it's fine," Len shook his head. "As long as you're feeling better, that's all that matters."

"Thanks," I blushed. "So, why did you want me to come over?"

"I had something that I… err… wanted to talk to you about." My ears perked up. Was what he wanted to talk about similar to what I wanted to talk about? "Oh," I said slowly. "What's that?" Len's face turned red and he looked at the ground. "I'll tell you later. Let's get something to eat real quick. You look hungry." It was true that I hadn't eaten lunch yet, so I didn't mind eating something. Len took me into his kitchen, which could have been a restaurant. "You're house is incredible," I said. Len walked over to the fridge and opened it. "It's nothing much." He looked around in the fridge and then frowned. "I was sure we had some pudding. I guess, I'll go grab some from the store really fast. Are you okay with waiting here?"

I was a bit taken aback. Was he just going to leave me alone for some pudding? "We can have something else," I suggested. "You don't have to go out and get some."

"It's fine, I'll be fast. There's a convenience store right around the corner," Len said. "If you want, you can hang out in my room until I get back. We can talk in there." I turned red at the thought. I had never been in a boy's room before. Len took me to his room and promised to be back in a few minutes. He ran out and I heard the front door open and close. His room was very neat. There wasn't much on the walls. There was a bed, huge closet, a dresser, and a desk. It was modest room for such a fancy house.

A sudden thought struck me. If this was Len's room, was there a chance that there was some evidence lying around? After all, it was his room. He would try to hide anything. I closed Len's bedroom door in case Piko came by. I had a suspicion that he was in on the whole thing. Perhaps he was the accomplice that the Masked Gentleman was rumored to have.

The first place I decided to check was the closet. I turned on the closet light and walked in. There were so many clothes. I didn't know how any one person could wear them all. I looked through all of them, but nothing looked familiar. The next place I checked was the dresser. I opened the first few drawers and found nothing but folded shirts. The bottom drawers I avoided. I assumed pants and some other… things were in there. I glanced over at Len's beside table. It had a single drawer.

I walked over and slowly opened it. Staring back at me was a black mask, just like the Masked Gentleman wore. I took it out and held it in my hands. It was the real thing, I was sure of it. I just stared blankly at it. What was the point in all this? I knew the truth, but I just kept trying to find ways to somehow prove myself wrong. However, the evidence only strengthened my claim. I was so distracted by the mask that I didn't hear Len until he came into the room.

When he opened the door, I stuck the mask into my pocket. "I got it!" Len smiled. He was holding a plastic bag that I assumed had the pudding inside. We both took a seat on his bed and he took the pudding cups out and handed one to me, along with a spoon. "It's really good," he said, taking out his own pudding. He peeled off the lid and took a bite. I did the same and was impressed at how good the pudding was. "It is good," I agreed. "It's probably some of the best I've ever had."

"I have good taste," Len laughed. For a second, it felt like we had returned to normal, but the mask felt like it was burning a hole in my pocket. A constant reminder that things weren't all good. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked once I had finished my pudding. Len turned red again. "I-I…" he started. I rose an eyebrow. He was acting suspicious. "Rin, I like you."

My heart stopped. He liked me? Normally, I would have been flattered, but would refuse. I couldn't though. I just sat there speechless. Could fate really be so cruel? "So…" Len said nervously. I could tell it was taking all his courage to say this. "Do you like me to?" I said nothing. "You don't have to respond right away," Len said quickly. "I was really afraid that you were mad at me, so when you said you weren't… I felt like I really wanted to tell you." My face turned red and my chest began to sting. A voice in the back of my mind was whispering, "I think I like you, at least a little bit, too", but I ignored it.

"I have to go," I said. "Thanks for the pudding." I stood up and tried to leave, but Len caught me again. He was too fast. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. If you don't like me that way, we can still be friends." I was so enamored by his words that I didn't notice the mask fall out of my pocket and down to the ground. Len gave me a smile, but I couldn't smile back. Damn this all! Why did this have to happen to me?

"What's that?" Len said suddenly, pointing to the ground. He was pointing at the mask. "Did I leave that out?" he laughed. "How embarrassing."

"What is it?" I said in a grave tone. I pretended not to know anything. Would he tell me the truth? "It's from some old costume I wore for a play back in grade school," Len said, picking it up. "My Grandpa likes to keep that kind of stuff, so there's some old junk lying around. I don't know how it got out here. It should be in storage."

"Liar," I muttered under my breath. Len paused. "What?" he asked. "I didn't hear what you said."

"You're a liar!" I yelled, grabbing the mask from his hand. "Drop the bullshit. You aren't fooling me."

"What are you talking about?" Len said. "I don't understand." He was trying to sound confused, but I could sense the fear in his voice. I slowly walked up to him and held the mask in front of his face. "You're not so clever," I whispered. A few tears fell from my eyes. I placed the mask on his face. Len turned pale. "R-Rin," he stammered. "Look, I…" I glared at him and he stopped speaking. "Good-bye, Len," I said, walking away. I opened the door to his room and then stopped. "Or should I say, the Masked Gentleman?" With that, I slammed the door shut and ran all the way home. I couldn't stop crying.

* * *

 **Len's POV**

"You're a liar!" Rin screamed. "Drop the bullshit. You aren't fooling me." She stole the mask from my hand. What was she going on about? She's been acting funny all week. A sense of fear crept through me. She couldn't be talking about… "What are you talking about? I don't understand," I said. I tried to reach out to her, but she stopped me. She held the mask up and walked closer. What's going on? What is she doing? She was crying now.

Carefully, she put the mask on my face. My blood ran cold. "R-Rin," I tried to explain. "Look, I…" She glared at me. Her eyes were full of anger and disappointed. "Good-bye, Len," she said coldly. She walked to the door and opened it. I stood there motionless. "Or should I say, the Masked Gentleman?" she asked before she slammed the door. Damn it! I cursed under my breath. How long had she been onto me?

Piko came running into the room. "Master Len! What's going on?" he said. "I heard yelling and saw Ms. Rin running away." I was silent for a moment and then spoke. "We've been discovered," I announced. Piko's face turned white. "I'll tell your Grandfather immediately." He ran out to call Grandpa, who was currently at a business meeting downtown. When he left, I took a seat on my bed and sighed. I had a feeling she was catching on, but I thought I'd have more time. I even tried to trick her into a false sense of security with that confession.

I tried so hard from the very beginning to make sure she wouldn't discover my secret. From my first day as the Masked Gentleman, Grandpa told me she was someone to watch out for. She had secretly assisted the police before and was probably smarter than most people on the force. Grandpa called her a "backseat detective". She had accepted my friendship so easily, I had felt almost guilty about tricking her. I didn't mind being her friend though. That's probably what lulled me into a false sense of security and got me caught. I had even told her I loved her, hoping that she would forget all her suspicions, but it didn't work.

"Your Grandfather is on his way home," Piko said, sticking his head into the room. "He wants you to not worry. He planned for this." Good old Grandpa, always on top of his game. I suppose that's why he was never caught. I had only been a thief for a month and I was already busted. For a brief moment, Rin's disappointed face crossed my mind. My chest stung. "Damn it," I cursed. This is no time to be feeling guilty. It's her fault for being curious. Man, Gramps. You better get home quick, so we can get this whole thing fixed.

* * *

 **And you thought this was going to be a story where Len wasn't an asshole. ;P**

 **I'm a terrible person, I know.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Before this chapter begins, I would like to address an issue. There were some readers that did not enjoy the ending of the last chapter and my decision to my Len the type of character he was. There was one person that was very upset and left a review (which I ended up deleting because of some of the language, but thank you for writing it because it made me see another side of things) about it. There are 3 reasons I made Len the stereotypical "jerk" character that is common in my stories. 1. He is inspired by Kaito Kuroba 2. I didn't think Len being a quiet, meek person really fit the man behind a devious phantom thief and 3. That's just the kind of character I like for Len. It's very stereotypical and is a common trope, but I enjoy. My favorite mangas have characters like Len (my favorite being Boys Over Flowers). It's just what I enjoy reading and writing about. I'm sorry if you don't enjoy that kind of character. Most of my stories are not right for you and that's completely okay. Though I love having readers that enjoy my stories, I ultimately write for myself and I write what I want to read about. I just love "jerk" Len and tsundere Rin. Sorry for any unnecessary drama. I just wanted to address this and give my reasons for what I did. Thanks for listening. :)**

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

I hardly remember making it home that night. Everything was a blur. As soon as I thought I could forget and forgive, everything came toppling down again. I spent another night in bed. I didn't speak to Dad, who seemed worried about me. He had noticed my change in attitude the past week, but he knew better than to bother. I went fell asleep early, trying to push all my thoughts away.

Len wasn't at school the next day. Did he leave for good this time? Could he risk possibly being exposed? I took a seat, but couldn't take my eyes of the empty desk in front of me. I imagined him sitting there, turning around to smile and say good morning. It made me sick to my stomach. Did he know hurt I would be in the future? Miku came barreling into the classroom, straight towards me. "Did you and Len make up yet?" she questioned. "He said he had something 'special' to talk to you about!"

"We didn't," I coldly replied. "What?" Miku exclaimed. "But he said he was going…" She paused, probably in fear that she would reveal something she wasn't supposed to. "He did," I frowned. "But I couldn't accept it." My head was beginning to hurt. "Why not?" Miku pouted. "You both got along so well. You were perfect for each other."

"There were… circumstances," I said, trying to keep my answer vague. Miku didn't need to know the whole story. "I'm sorry," Miku apologized. "You look really uncomfortable. I know it's not really my business…"

"It's fine. It's just been a rough past few days. Everything's fine." Everything would be fine if Len didn't come back to school. He could disappear into nothing. That would probably be for the best. More distance between us meant it would be easier for me to get over these annoying feelings and catch him in the act. All of a sudden my phone buzzed. It was Dad.

"Is it the Masked Gentleman?" Miku asked eagerly. "I've missed him. He hasn't shown up for the past week." Her eyes had that dreamy look. I opened the text and saw the Masked Gentleman's new notice. _"Beneath the moonlit sky, say good-bye to the golden face of old"_. I gritted my teeth. That bastard! Even though he was discovered, he was going to continue being the Masked Gentleman. A feeling of anger overcame me. Was he going to continue to disregard my thoughts and feelings? Love? What a joke. Someone in love would never do that to the person they care about. Was this all just some joke to him? A way to fool me?

"If he wants to fight," I growled. "It's a fight he's gonna get. I'll make him regret crossing me." Miku had a frightened look. "Rin, you're kinda scary me. Do you want to catch him that bad?" I gave her a devious smile. "Of course. Even if it's the last thing I do."

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

I had easily figured out what Len planned on stealing. In the national history museum, there was a golden bust of some military leader that had recently been donated. There had been a lot of news coverage about it on TV. It was easily worth millions of yen. I had a feeling tonight's heist would be similar to the one at the art museum. He'd probably sneak in with a disguise. I had to be on my game. This game of cat and mouse had become personal. I was out for revenge. My sadness had melted away and turned into anger. I wasn't going to let him make a fool out of me any longer.

Instead of heading home, I walked to the national history museum. I texted Dad and told him to meet me there. Officers were setting up the usual barriers when I arrived. I felt like that was pointless since Len also managed to avoid them. It was wasting time, but I suppose it made the police feel better. I walked into the museum and looked around for Gumi. She was nowhere to be found, so I decided to take a quick peak at Len's target for tonight, a golden statue.

It was on the second floor of the museum and it had its own little exhibit. There were wall scrolls surrounding it that had tiny tidbits of information written on them. I walked up to the statue and read the little silver nameplate. The name was some war hero I had never heard of before. I assumed that the bust was valuable not because of the person it resembled, but because of its valuable material. There were security cameras throughout the room and some rope blocking off the bust. The exhibit hall was pretty small, so it would be hard for more than twenty people to fit in at once.

My phone buzzed. It was Dad again. "Are you here?" he asked. "Yeah," I texted back. "I'm on the 2nd floor. Where are you and Gumi?" Dad said that they were both in the security office and that I should head down whenever I was finished looking around. I decided I was and asked the nearest security guard for directions to the security office. "I'll just take you there," he said. "It's a little confusing." I followed him down to the first floor, where we had to navigate through the exhibit halls to find the security room. I would've have gotten lost without him help. I thanked him when I arrived and he returned to where he had been before.

Dad and Gumi were in there waiting for me. "Hey!" Gumi exclaimed, giving me a hug. "I haven't seen you in a while." It was good to see a smiling face. "How ya feeling?" Dad asked. "You looked pretty down yesterday."

"I'm feeling good," I smiled. I felt energized and ready to go. I was done with being depressed. I was ready to catch a criminal. "Awesome," Gumi said, taking my hands. "I have a plan all worked out for tonight. We're gonna get him!" I laughed at her enthusiasm. Nothing could bring her down! "So what's this genius plan?" I asked, crossing my arms. I was interested to hear about it.

"It goes like this," Gumi started. "I figure he's gonna sneak in as an officer, right? So, he'll have to be one of the officers in the exhibit hall with the bust. Exactly at midnight, we're gonna seal the door to the exhibit hall, so he can't get out. There's no other windows, doors, or hidden exits. He'll have to make it through the other police up there to get to the emergency button that opens the door. He can't escape." It sounded like a good plan, but I knew Len would have a trick up his sleeve. "Sounds good," I grinned. "Let's make tonight the Masked Gentleman's last night!"

Gumi explained that she had arranged for the best officers on the force to help put tonight. When I saw them, I knew she wasn't kidding. They looked strong and pretty intimidating. Even a master thief would be scared around them. It was now around 11:30. Though the notice hadn't specified, it was assumed that Len would come at midnight. It was habit. Gumi, Dad, the other officers, and I headed up into the exhibit hall. We left the door open to encourage Len to enter. We didn't want to stop him from stealing the bust. We wanted to capture him.

"Everyone in position," Gumi commanded. She pulled out her radio and yelled into it. "All ground units be ready and surround all sides of the building. Let's make this a good one!" The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Everyone was nervous. Dad and Gumi were sweating. I still had my backpack with me, while we waited. I had borrowed a little something from a police car, just in case something went wrong. I had a feeling I knew what Len's little trick was going to be tonight.

Suddenly, the lights in the room went dark. Shit! Was it midnight already? "Turn on the lights! Hurry!" Gumi shouted. I heard some officers race to find the light switch, but they were doing more than that. They were closing the door. I could hear the soft sound of the door lowering and heard a metallic click as it hit the floor. The lights came back on and there he was, standing behind the ropes, holding the golden bust in his arms.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" he smirked. His face made me sick. "Stop!" Gumi shouted. To my surprise, she pulled out her gun and pointed it at him. She had never done that before. Were the police getting so desperate that they might have to resort to violence? I wasn't sure if she had the right to shoot him though, considering he hadn't actually hurt anybody before. Len began to laugh. "There's no need for that," he said, unhooking one of the ropes. He slowly walked towards Gumi. I could see her hands shaking. The other officers remained motionless. They hadn't expected this either.

Len was so close to Gumi that the gun was touching his chest. Gumi was sweating and looked nervous. She was an inspector, not a normal cop. She wasn't used to having to use her gun. I knew she didn't want to hurt anybody. Len grinned and reached into his pocket. I immediately took off my backpack and grabbed my back-up. A small gas mask that had been lying in the security room. The police might have planned for a sleeping gas attack, but they decided to ditch those precautions to follow Gumi's plan.

Len pulled out a small bomb and threw it at the ground. It erupted into smoke and everyone began to cough. I watch as everyone fell to the ground. Dad and Gumi lay motionless. Len and I were the only ones awake. How was he immune to his own sleeping gas? I noticed that when Gumi fell, her gun had slipped out of her hand and moved towards me. I darted and picked it up before the smoke had cleared. I could make out Len moving his way across the room. He was headed for the emergency button to open the door. He could easily make an escape. The police on the ground floor had no idea what was going on.

The smoke was clearing and Len's back was to me. He probably assumed that I had been knocked out too. I was getting annoyed. He hadn't even acknowledged my presence. He was just about to reach the button, when I held Gumi's gun up and placed it against the back of his head. I was shaking, but I tried to stay calm. I had never touched a gun before, let alone used one. Len put his hands up. "Back up and turn around," I commanded. I backed up to give him some space. He slowly turned around and faced me. He had a confident smirk on his face.

"Bastard, give it up!" I shouted, keeping the gun level with his head. I took the gas mask off and threw it on the ground. "There's nowhere for you to run. If you move, I'll shoot."

"You wouldn't do that," Len taunted. I raised the gun and shot the ceiling. It gave off a deafening _bang._ Len flinched. Good, I wanted him to know I was serious. I moved the gun back to his face. "Turn yourself in," I said. "Let's make this easy." Len took a step closer to me. "Does it have to be this way?" he frowned. "Don't make that face," I cursed. "This is your fault. You deceived me and now, you're gonna be punished."

"But we're friends," Len said. He set his hand on the gun and slowly pushed it down until my hand was at my side. He was uncomfortably close now. I wanted to bring the gun back out, but I was beginning to get scared. "Bullshit," I said, looking him straight in the eye. "Friends don't do what you've done. Were we ever truly friends?"

"I guess not," Len laughed. "I thought you might see through my secret, but I didn't think you'd figure out my little act at school."

"What act?"

"The nervous, stuttering, quiet kid," Len chuckled. "No one ever suspects a thing from him. Not even you." I was silent. Had he been pretending this whole time? "Explain," I yelled. "Don't keep any secrets. I still have the gun."

"I suppose I was like that in the beginning, the nerdy kid in the corner, but being a master thief really boosts your confidence, you know?" Len laughed at his own comment. "Not to mention it was the perfect façade to get in close with a certain someone…" He pointed his finger at me. "Why me?" I asked. I was trembling now. All the strings were starting to unravel. I couldn't believe that Len was this devious. It just didn't make sense.

"My Grandpa has some friends on the police force," Len resumed. "I heard stories about the clever high school girl that helped out sometimes. The same girl who happened to sit behind me in class every day. I couldn't let such a risky situation exist?"

"You probably think you're so devious," I stated. Len gave me a surprised look. "But you're not as cold-hearted as you're trying to seem. Making yourself the bad guy isn't going to solve anything. If you were really that bad, you would've let me fall off that building before." It was true. I couldn't believe what he was telling me. No one was that good an actor. He spoke as if he were trying to make himself feel better. I could see the guilt in his blue eyes. He was trying to compensate for his feelings. Did he maybe feel bad about tricking me?

Len was silent for a moment and then spoke again. "You can keep thinking like that, but that won't change anything." My heart stung. This guy! He had pretended to be my friend and even pretended to fall in love with me for the sake of protecting his secret. No one was that evil. In that moment, I made an impulsive decision that just seemed right at the time. I grabbed Len's head and kissed him right on the lips.

It felt good, like all the stress that had building up was released. My heart felt satisfied and a cruel thought crossed my mind. I had really come to love Len. I thought I would never fall in love. I had always teased Miku about it, but it was clear to me how all this had come about. Before all this nonsense, he was the only guy to ever talk to me and understand me. We had fun together and he cared about me. I couldn't believe that it was all a lie. It must not have been because Len didn't pull away from me. We stayed like that for a few seconds until I pulled myself back.

"Was that a lie?" I asked. Len was in awe. He didn't move. I walked over to the emergency button and pressed it. The metal door began to rise. "Go," I sighed. "Everyone will wake up soon and the police downstairs are getting antsy." Len looked at me in surprise, but said nothing. He walked through the door, tightly holding the golden bust in his hands. Before he disappeared into the shadows, I called out to him. "By the way," I laughed weakly. "In response to your confession…. I like you too." With that, he vanished.

I heard Gumi give out a loud groan. I ran over to her and propped her up on my lap. "Are you okay?" I asked. Gumi's eyes slowly fluttered awake. "Did… did he get away?" she asked. "Yes," I nodded. "But what's important is that you're all okay." Everyone was starting to wake up now. Gumi radioed the other officers and informed them that the Masked Gentleman had escaped. I lied and said that I had just woken up. I claimed that the Masked Gentleman had knocked me out with sleeping gas. The gas mask that was lying on the floor belonged to him.

That night, the car ride home was silent. Dad was depressed, but I wasn't this time. A giddy feeling was in my stomach. I was almost… happy. I had gotten everything off my chest and done the thing that I think I secretly wanted to do for a long time. There was nothing I could do about my feelings now. I just had to accept them and move on. Tonight was my last case against the Masked Gentleman. I concede defeat. He'll have to be caught by someone else.

* * *

 **Len's POV**

Once I was safely outside the museum, I found a spot hidden in the shadows and waited for Piko to come pick me. Grandpa's plan hadn't worked. I was supposed to be the one to kiss her. He said it would silence her for good. He had done in many times before with girls when he was young. Everything was falling to pieces. I had told her the truth, but she acted like she still believed in me. She couldn't accept reality. A nasty feeling was growing in the pit of my stomach. Was this guilt?

It was true that I had been acting all this time. I had been the nerdy kid in class for a while, but that had always been so people wouldn't bother me. In middle school, people would harass me and pretend to be friends with me because I was rich and handsome. I tried to get rid of all that unwanted attention with a new look and it worked pretty well. Unfortunately, the downside of that was having no friends. I was okay with that, until Grandpa proposed being friends with Rin, to get on her good side. I didn't really care either way about the matter at first, but once we started to talk, she was the closest thing I'd had to a friend in a long time.

We ended up being a lot closer than I expected. I enjoyed hanging out with her and she was fun to be around. She was different from a lot of people I knew. Confessing my love to her was part of the plan. It was supposed to seal the deal and guarantee that she would give up all her doubts about me, but it failed… or maybe it didn't? Her words were still ringing in my ears. "I like you too…" I felt sick to my stomach, like I might throw up. C'mon, pull yourself together. I have to stay calm and collected, but why am I feeling like this?

Piko's car rolled around the corner and came to a stop. I opened the door to the front seat and hopped in. I set the golden bust behind the seat. "How'd it go?" Piko asked eagerly. "Did the Master's plan work?" I was quiet. "Yeah," I lied. "We should be fine. I don't think she'll say a word." Truthfully, I believed that. I had the feeling that I wouldn't see Rin anymore during my heists. Her face told me that she planned on giving up.

"Let's get that home, so the Master can send it to the client," Piko said, turning down the road. "The client was getting impatient, so we need to return it as fast as possible." I never asked about our clients. I always assumed they were people who just wanted what was rightfully theirs returned to them. I listened to orders and stole whatever I was asked to steal. Imagine how dazed the police would be if they discovered that the Masked Gentleman was really running a "lost and found".

"Have you heard about those robberies lately?" Piko asked. "No," I said, taking off my mask. "Some thugs have been breaking into some hard to reach places," he explained. "Nothing like you of course. A couple of police officers have been shot and injured because of them. It's good to be on your guard in case you ever cross paths with them. Hopefully, the police will catch them soon." It was funny to think about the police catching thieves, considering I was one myself.

"By the way," Piko started again. "Did your Grandfather tell you that you'll be transferring schools next week?" I sat upright in my seat. "What?" I exclaimed. Piko nodded. "He doesn't want to take any risks, so you're being transferred to a private school on the outskirts of the city. He's still worried about that girl. You can't see her again, or she might blow everything for us." I can't see her ever again? My stomach hurt again and I became dizzy. "Woah, you okay?" Piko said. "Hang in there. We're almost home."

Rin was plaguing my thoughts now. I couldn't see her anymore, but that kiss… I was remembering it. It felt so good. I was the one who supposed to make her quiet, but in that moment, she silenced me. It was almost like a dream. "Stop it!" I thought to myself. "Forget about it." My stomach was in knots and my heart was racing. Why won't this stop? Piko's car pulled into the driveway and I quickly got out. Grandpa was waiting for me inside. I handed him the golden bust.

"Excellent," he smiled. "I'll tell the client I'll bring it in the morning." I nodded and headed off to my bedroom. I could hear Piko and Grandpa whispering about something, but I didn't care. In my room, I changed into sleeping clothes and sat down on my bed. I wanted to fall asleep, but I couldn't. I just couldn't stop thinking about her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Rin's POV**

As expected, Len wasn't at school the next day. This time I was sure of it; he wasn't coming back. I felt better coming into class though. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Our relationship was over and I had gotten everything out of my system. It was time to start off fresh. I sat at my desk and took out my manga, just like before. Unfortunately, the newest chapter was about a phantom thief. I just can't escape, can I?

"Rin?" There was a tapping at my shoulder. It was Miku. "What's up?" I smiled. "Can I please have your homework? I forgot all about mine last night," Miku begged. With a sigh, I took out my homework and handed it to her. "You know, you owe me. Again," I laughed. Miku took the homework and started to furiously scribble on her own. "Oh yeah," she said, flipping over the homework page. "How'd the whole thing with the Masked Gentleman go last night? Did you get to see him again?"

"I saw him all right," I smiled. "Really?" Miku exclaimed, looking up. "Please say you took a picture. You never take pictures! I want to see him so badly!"

"Sorry, I forgot again." Miku grumbled something about how I always forget. "Then remember next time," she said, handing my homework back. "There won't be a next time," I sighed. "I gave up on his case." Miku almost fell back in her chair from shock. "What?" Her voice was so loud, the entire classroom looked over for a second. "What are you talking about?" she hissed in a quieter tone. "I gave it up," I confessed. "I've moved on."

"You make it sound like a bad relationship. You can't quit. The Rin I know isn't a quitter," Miku frowned. "There were some circumstances," I explained, trying to be vague. "Long story short, I gave it up. I don't want to think about that guy anymore." I shook my head to show how serious I was. "Now the police will never catch him," Miku pouted. "They're nothing without the help of the Great Detective Rin!"

"Thanks," I smiled. Maybe I could help out with some other cases. I'd be willing to start small, like finding lost puppies or something. Anything besides something about that guy. "Do you want to hang out later?" Miku asked. "Kaito's busy and I have nothing to do. We can go to karaoke or something."

"No thanks, I'm good," I declined. "I have some schoolwork to catch up on." That wasn't a lie. Late nights chasing after the Masked Gentleman meant less time for schoolwork. Dad wouldn't be very happy if my grades dropped and neither would I. "Suit yourself," Miku said. "Luka and I will have a lot of fun on our own then."

"Go for it," I giggled. Mr. Hiyama entered the classroom with a strange look on his face. I wonder what was wrong. He cleared his throat and the class went silent. "I regret to inform you all that your classmate, Len Kagamine, will not be returning. He has transferred to another school. It was a last minute decision and he says that he hopes you all have a good rest of the year." Whispers filled the classroom.

"That's the quiet kid, right?"

"Where do you think he went?"

"He was so cute. It's a shame."

"Rin, did you know about this?" Miku asked. I shook my head. "No clue," I responded, even though I kind of had a clue. "So much for being friends," Miku huffed. "He didn't even tell us he was leaving." The whispers settled down and Mr. Hiyama started normal class. I gazed out the window, a bit distracted. There were gray clouds forming in the sky. It was going to be a rainy, gloomy day.

 **\- THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY –**

The rest of the school day was boring. It was like everything had returned to normal. I ate lunch alone in the library in peace. I walked home slowly, even stopping for a drink at a coffee shop. I had nowhere to be. I entered the coffee shop and was greeted by the pleasant aroma of coffee. The place was busy, but I didn't mind waiting. I looked over the menu, while grabbing some money from my backpack. The orange smoothie they were selling looked good.

As I entered the line, I noticed a small TV in the corner for the customers. On it was the news. It was the same reporter from last time. "Another notice from the Masked Gentleman has just come in!" she exclaimed. Oh joy. "He has announced that he'll be stealing the Stardust gem. This jewel, originally from China, is valuable due to its stunning blue color and golden and silver specks throughout." There was a picture of the jewel onscreen. It was beautiful. It looked like something from outer space itself. "Unfortunately, the police will not be attempting to capture him tonight for reasons they wish to not comment on. They ask for the respect of others in this decision. They also act that people refrain from visiting the museum where this gem is currently on displace for the next 24 hours."

The police weren't trying to capture him? What was going on? Gumi would never give up a chance to catch the Masked Gentleman. There must be something else going on at the police station. There must be another case that's more important. "What can I get for you?" the lady at the register asked. I was jarred from my thoughts. "Oh, an orange smoothie, please," I asked. "Coming right up," the girl smiled. I paid her for the smoothie and moved over to the side to wait. She set the smoothie on the counter. "Here you go!"

"Thanks," I smiled. I took a sip of the smoothie. So good! I left the coffee shop and headed home. I texted Dad and told him I'd be a few minutes late. The sky was still grey, but the rain had held out. It was good day for sitting at home and reading manga. I'd probably do that after I finished all my excess schoolwork. I finally made it home and was surprised to find it empty. I thought Dad would be back, but he must've had something to work on. Police officers have weird working hours.

I threw out my finished smoothie and headed to my room. I took my work out of my bag and set in on my small desk. I took a seat and turned on the desk light. Just looking at all the stuff I had to finish gave me a headache. It was going to be a late night if I wanted to finish all of it. Well, time to get working!

At around ten o'clock, I heard the front door open. It must be Dad. "Rin?" he called. "Yeah, Dad?" I replied, walking out of my room. "Just checking that you're alive," he chuckled. I went downstairs to greet him. "Why are you so late?" I asked. Dad was in the kitchen, making a quick dinner. "There was a long meeting," he groaned. "It was about that gang of violent robbers. Have you seen them on the news?" I vaguely remember seeing something about them. They had many successful heists, but had injured a lot of people in the process. They had almost killed someone. They weren't afraid to get violent.

"What about them?" I asked. "We're trying to figure out a way to catch without anyone getting hurt," Dad sighed. "It's turning out to be harder than we thought. We hoped to try and catch them tonight, but we aren't ready?"

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, we got a tip off that they were planning to steal that Stardust gem in the museum downtown. We had to request that the museum be closed off and all the security guards go home to keep things safe. We're gonna just let them steal it. It's so frustrating, but it's the safest option." A sudden thought crossed my mind. "Is that the same thing that the Masked Gentleman plans to steal tonight?" I asked.

Dad thought to himself for a moment. "I guess it is. We weren't even thinking about him. He better be careful. If he gets in the way of those robbers, they won't be afraid to shoot him up." My face turned pale. "Dad, does anyone know about those robbers, except for the police?" He shook his head. "We didn't want to cause panic, so we're trying to keep it a secret. We might release the details a little later." So, no one knew about the robbers planning to attack. That meant… Len didn't know either.

"Dad, I have to go!" I said suddenly, grabbing my jacket. "What?" he exclaimed. "It's already 10:30!"

"Sorry, I forgot that I needed to go to Miku's for something," I lied. "I might be there until late, so don't worry about me." I ran out the front door and could hear Dad calling my name. I was gonna be in a lot of trouble later, but I didn't care. Len was in trouble. I know I wanted to cut ties with him and forget, but I couldn't let him walk into danger like that. If he wasn't careful, those robbers might kill him!

I ran top speed through downtown. It was just beginning to sprinkle. The cold rain hit my body, but didn't faze me. I needed to get to that museum as fast as possible. When I arrived, it was 11:00, only an hour until Len's usual time. The entire place was vacant. There wasn't a single car or pedestrian around. People must have been scared off by the police's warning. It had sounded so serious on the news. I walked up to the museum's doors and pulled on them. Locked. "Damn it," I cursed. I was no phantom thief. How was I going to get in?

I felt around in my pockets to see if there was anything helpful. I pulled out a stray bobby pin. Why was that in there? I looked at the door's lock. There was no way the lock to such an important museum could be picked by a bobby pin, right? I decided to give it a try anyway. I straightened the pin and stuck it in the lock. I started moving it around, knowing that I had no clue what I was doing. To my surprise, there was _click._ I reached for the door and pulled at it again. It opened. For a second, I was in awe. That actually worked.

I opened the door and snuck inside. Everything was black. There were no lights on and it was silent. If I wasn't quiet, anyone in the museum would know I was there. Now where would that jewel be? I carefully walked through the exhibit halls, searching. My eyes were beginning to adjust to the dark, so I could see a little bit. I turned down the brightness on my phone and checked the time. 11:45. I had been searching for a while. It took a long time in the dark. Len would be here soon and possibly those robbers.

Finally, I came across a wide room. In the very back, I saw what I assumed was the Stardust. I shined my phone on the gem and saw the gold and silver specks sparkle. It was even more amazing in real life. Now what do I do? I just sat there and waited. There was really nowhere to hide, except for behind a few display cases. It was 11:55. Was he really going to come? Maybe he would decide not to show if there were no police officers coming. Then, I could go back home and rest easy.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps enter the room. I ran behind the display case holding the Stardust. What if it was the robbers? I sat there, frozen. I couldn't see who the figure was. "I wonder where everyone is?" the figure said. He laughed to himself. "I guess I'll take it." I gave a sigh of relief. It was Len. I quickly stood up and grabbed his hand. He had been reaching for the Stardust.

"Ah!" he shouted. He hadn't been expecting me. "Quiet!" I shushed. "It's me." I held his arm tightly. He couldn't get away before I explained the situation to him. "Rin?" he said, a bit astounded. "I thought… you weren't coming back."

"I wasn't planning on it," I frowned, not that he could see though in the dark, "But I couldn't just leave you here. You need to get out of here right away."

"Why?" he asked, pulling his arm out of my grip. I tried to hold it tight, but couldn't. I could barely make out his face. It was covered by that black mask. In his suit, he blended into the dark perfectly. "Leave," he said coldly.

"Dumbass," I said, slapping him. He almost fell over. "Listen to me. Those crazy robbers from the news are coming tonight. If they catch you, they won't hesitate to shoot you."

"You came here to tell me that?" Len said. "Why would you do something stupid like that? Just leave me alone." His voice sounded a bit pained. "I came because I was worried about you!" I shouted. I covered my mouth immediately. I didn't mean to say that. I really thought I was over him, but I couldn't let him go. If he got hurt, I could never let myself live with it. Len was silent.

"What's this?" another voice said from the dark. It couldn't be. The lights on the room came on and I saw three men, completely covered in black. At their sides were a lot of guns. Shit! The robbers! "I see we have an unexpected guest, boys?" the center robber laughed. "If it isn't the infamous Masked Gentleman, the most foolish thief in history."

"What do you mean by that?" Len said, getting defensive. He turned to face the robbers. I moved behind him. My blood ran cold. I was terrified. "A phantom thief?" the robber said. "How pathetic. If you're going to steal something, just take it. You're nothing more than an attention whore." Len growled. He sounded ready to lash out. "Please don't," I thought to myself. "They'll shoot at us."

"Still," the robber continued. "You're our rival, so we'll get rid of you. Don't worry. We'll make this as painful as possible." The robber brought up his gun. I could feel Len's body tense up. Why didn't he listen to me? We could've been out of here a few minutes ago, safe and sound. He could've even taken the Stardust with him. "Try me," Len smirked. Idiot! I heard the gun go enough and I made the stupidest decision, even stupider than jumping off the building. I sprung out from behind Len and jumped in front on him.

The world slowed down for a moment. Everything went still. I could see the robbers, but couldn't make out their facial expressions. I'm sure they were surprised. The only thing I couldn't see was Len's face. I'd give anything to see it in that moment. I'm sure it was priceless. Then, time seemed to resume and a sudden pain erupted in my chest. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry out, but I was quiet. Instead, I felt my body crumple to the ground and I blacked out.

 **Len's POV**

"Try me," I grinned. I wouldn't let some shady robbers get the best of me. I had an easy escape plan that even they couldn't figure out. I would disappear with the Stardust into the night. I felt a hand on my back. It was Rin. Shit, I forgot she was there. Had she really come here and put herself in danger just to protect me? That idiot! How was I going to get her out of here?

Suddenly, one of the robbers shot his gun. I wasn't ready to make a move. I braced myself for impact, but nothing came. That's when I noticed Rin jump in front of me. It all happened to fast to process. All of sudden, she was in front of me and then she was on the ground. Immediately, I pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it on the ground. The room filled with smoke and I could hear the robbers cough. If I wasn't fast, they would start shooting randomly.

I scooped up Rin and held her in my arms. I sprinted to my escape, an unlocked window that was behind the Stardust display. Luckily, it was big enough for me to fit through with Rin in my hands. I jumped out the window and landed on the ground. Piko's car was a few blocks away. I had to sneak through a few alleys, but I needed to keep running. Those robbers might pursue me, but I prayed it would take them a while to figure out where I disappeared to.

I felt something sticky on my hands. I looked down and saw that Rin was covered in blood. It looked like she had been shot in the chest. Her face was white and it didn't look like she was breathing. "Rin! Rin!" I shouted. She showed no response. Her eyes were shut tight. "Stay with me!" I was terrified now. What if she died because of me? She had saved me, even if it meant sacrificing herself. Tears were falling down my face. Damn it, Piko! Where are you?

The sky opened up and it began to downpour. I was soaked, but the rain didn't bother me. I needed to find Piko's car. Finally, I found it, casually sitting outside a restaurant. It looked like Piko was reading a book inside. Normally, I would've changed out of my Masked Gentleman attire and made an escape, but I didn't have time for that. I ran up to the car and opened the backseat. Piko was startled by my sudden appearance.

I put Rin in the back, trying to help her sit upright. I sat beside her. "We need to get to a doctor, hurry!" I shouted. Piko looked back and he turned pale when he saw Rin. "What's she doing here? What happened?" he asked. "Just hurry!" I screamed. There was no time for idle conversation. The entire front of Rin's jacket was covered in blood. I tried to take it off as Piko raced through the streets. I quickly changed out of my clothes and threw them in the back of the car. I had nothing dry to put on Rin though. I set the Stardust back there too.

"Can we go any faster?" I said. Piko pressed the accelerator and the car went so fast I almost fell out of my seat. I put my hand against Rin's chest to try and stop the bleeding, but it didn't work. It just kept coming out. The hospital was in sight now. Piko took us all the way up to the front. "Help me get her out!" I commanded. Piko rushed out and helped me pull Rin out of the car. We ran towards the emergency room. Stunned patients looked at us as we ran into the hospital. I'm sure we were a sight to see.

"Help!" I screamed, as we entered the emergency room. A nurse ran up to us. "Call a doctor now!" she said. More nurses appeared and so did a doctor. They put Rin on a stretcher and buckled her up. The entire emergency room was in a panic. A few nurses began to push the stretcher into the back of the emergency room, where it connected to the rest of the hospital. I tried to follow, but was stopped by a nurse. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "But you'll have to come with me. We have some questions." Piko and I looked at each other in fear. How were we going to explain this? Not to mention, I was worried about Rin. I didn't want to let her out my sight.

The nurse took us into a small room with a few chairs and a table. There was a police officer sitting at the table. Why were the police here? "This is our officer on stand-by," the nurse explained. "He's here for emergencies like this. Please explain to him what happened." The nurse left the room to go tend to other patients, leaving Piko and I with the officer.

"Tell me what happened," the officer said. "I was told you brought in a girl with a gunshot wound to the chest. What is your relation to her?"

"I'm her friend," I explained. "He has no relation to her. He works for me. I just asked for his help." The police officer nodded and wrote down what I said. "Can you explain what happened?" This was the hard part. We were going to have to lie, but maybe we could use the truth to construct our lie. "Rin, she was at the museum where the Masked Gentleman was supposed to come tonight," I explained. "Actually, she was there because of those violent robbers from the news. She heard that they were coming and wanted to try and stop them, along with the Masked Gentleman. She's been helping the police try to catch him. When she got to the museum, the robbers were already there and they shot her in fear. I think they thought she was dead, so they left her alone. She was able to call me before she passed out and I brought help."

"I see," the officer said. "Why didn't you call an ambulance immediately?"

"We panicked," I lied. Actually, we didn't call one because that would've made the situation even worse. We would've been busted for sure. The police officer wrote that down. "Do you know how to get in contact with her parents?" I shook my head. "No." The officer sighed and stood up. "I hope you both know that a chest wound is a serious injury. She might not make it." I wanted to cry. "What do you mean she might not make it?" I demanded, standing up. Piko put his hand on my shoulder to calm me down. "Master Len, please."

"The chest not only contains your heart, but the lungs and important arteries. If any of those got hit by the bullet, it'll be hard to come back from that." With that, the officer left the room, leaving Piko and I alone. My legs felt weak and I fell back into the chair. I pounded my fists on the table. "This is my fault," I said. "She tried to protect me."

"It's not your fault," Piko frowned. "She shouldn't have come. She should've learned to keep to herself. I knew she'd be a problem once she found out your secret."

"Don't say that," I growled, standing back up to face Piko. "It's not Rin's fault. It's not."

"Master Len, don't beat yourself up…"

"Shut up!" I yelled, throwing a punch. It hit Piko in the face, knocking him backwards. There was a large mark on his face from where I hit him. "I'm going to call your Grandfather," Piko said, picking himself off the ground. He pulled out his phone and exited the room. Damn it! I started to cry again. I didn't know what to do. I was the great phantom thief, the Masked Gentleman. I could steal anything I wanted, but right now, I was powerless.

"Excuse me," a soft voice said. It was one of the nurses. "You can leave now. You're also welcome to stay until we get the final word about the patient." She led me out of the room and into the hospital. We entered a hallway that was grey and empty. They were a few chairs along the wall. "You can sit here," she said. I took a seat. "Do you have information at all about the patient's parents?" she asked. "Anything helps."

"Her name is Rin Kagane," I said softly. "Her Dad works for the police station. If you call them and ask for him or head inspector, Gumi Megpoid, you should be able to get in contact with him." The nurse nodded and ran off. Piko entered the hallway and sat next to me. "The Master is coming. He's on his way." I gave a sigh. I didn't want to deal with the old man right now. "Sorry for punching you," I apologized to Piko. "It's fine," he said. "You're under a lot of stress right now."

The next 30 minutes were agonizing. Neither Piko nor I said a word. No one came through the hallway. There was nothing about Rin. Finally, Piko got a call that Grandpa had arrived. Piko left me to go find him. In a few minutes, Piko came back with Grandpa. "What happened?" Grandpa asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said. "It's Rin that's in trouble."

"It's that girl, isn't it?" Grandpa asked. I nodded. Gramps bit his lip. "I knew she'd get us into trouble, but I guess your grandmother was the same way."

"What do you mean?" I asked. I didn't know too much about my grandmother. She passed away when I was little. "She was the one that pushed me into retirement," Grandpa laughed. "She was a smart one, my little Haku. She had me figured out in an instant, but I couldn't keep my sights off her. Eventually, we compromised. I would give up thieving, if she married me." It sounded kind of like me and Rin. Rin figured out my secret and there was nothing I could do to stop her.

"So what happened to her?" Grandpa said. "Piko didn't explain anything on the phone."

"She was shot in the chest," I said gravely. "She tried to protect me." I explained the situation to Grandpa. I guess he didn't know how serious it was. When I finished, he pursed his lips and sighed. "This is pretty bad." That was an understatement. It was all silent again. The three of us had no words.

Suddenly, someone came out of one of the rooms in the hallway. It was a nurse and she was walking towards us. She smiled and said, "The patient's condition has stabilized. She'll be fine. The bullet barely missed her vital points. She's finished surgery and is being moved soon. You can see her in a bit." I felt my body relax and ease up. "Thank god," I sighed. "I'll take you to her room," the nurse said. "Her father is already here."

We followed the nurse through the hospital to the second floor, where the patient rooms were. She opened the door to one of them and let us in. Rin was sleeping on a bed. She was wearing a hospital gown and I could see that her chest was wrapped in bandages. Her father was at her side. He looked stressed. He noticed us walking in and gazed at us in surprise. I guess the two of us have never met under normal circumstances.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I'm Rin's friend, Len," I explained. "She called me and my friend and I brought her to the hospital." Rin's Dad came up to me and gave me a hug. It caught me off guard. "Thank you," he cried. I could see the tear marks on his face. "You saved her life." He let go and I walked beside Rin's bed. She looked like a sleeping angel.


	10. Chapter 10

**As kind of a heads-up, I have written a few chapters ahead for this story, but haven't completely finished writing it. With school starting soon and with me actually getting serious about learning Japanese, updates might be a little less frequent. I'll do my best to manage everything. I'd also like to finish the other story I'm working on as well.**

 **Thanks for all the support on this story so far!**

* * *

 **Len's POV**

Rin slept throughout the night and the entire next day. Her Dad had to go into work for a little bit, so he asked me if I could stay with. I gladly obliged. Piko and Grandpa went back home to get some rest. I didn't mind sleeping on the edge of Rin's bed. I didn't want to leave her alone. After all, this was all my technically my fault.

At about noon a day after Rin had been shot, I was getting myself some water when I heard her moving around. I ran back into the room and was surprised to see her sitting up on the edge of her bed. She looked at me with wide eyes. "Len?" she asked. I rushed over to her and tried to get her to lay back down. I put my hands on her shoulders and pushed her back. "Stop it!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"You need to stay in bed," I ordered. "You're lucky you're alive, so you don't want that wound to reopen." Rin mumbled something under her breath, but laid back down. "Are we at the hospital?" she asked. I nodded. "Why is it just you here?"

"Your Dad had to go into work for a bit. He asked me to stay and watch you."

"Oh, the irony in that," Rin laughed. It was nice to see her returning to normal. Rin's cellphone was sitting on a table in the room, so I picked it up and handed it to her. "You should probably text Miku and let her know you're okay. She's probably panicking." Rin took the phone and texted all of her friends. She agreed that everyone would be worried. "Miku said she and the others are going to come by later," Rin smiled. "They said they might bring be something too."

"Do you want anything?"

"No, I'm good." The two of us sat there in an awkward silence for a while. I didn't know what to say. "Sorry about… all this," I said, breaking the silence. "It's not your fault," Rin replied. "I was the one who was reckless." It was silent again. Lovely. "Why did you do that?" I asked. Rin looked up at me and grinned. "I didn't want you to get hurt of course." I felt a pang of guilt. "Don't get involved with me anymore," I scolded her. "We have nothing to do with each other anymore."

"If we have nothing to do with each other, why are you still here?" Rin smirked. I had no answer, so I turned my face away from her. I heard Rin sigh and lay her head against her pillow. "Could you get me some water?" she asked. "I'm thirsty."

"Sure," I nodded, leaving the room. I needed to get out of there for a bit. There was too much awkwardness. Plus, I didn't trust myself to be in there with her alone. I didn't want to give her any ideas. After this, we had to be separate. I couldn't risk her revealing my secret.

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

I gave out a loud sigh once Len left the room. So much tension left the air and I could breathe easy again. I touched my hand to my chest and winced in pain. How was I still alive? That bullet hit me right in the chest. It must have been a miracle. I glanced at my phone. It was only 12:30. If Dad was at work, he wouldn't be done for a while. Hopefully, my friends will be here soon.

On cue, the door to my room was shoved open. "Rin!" someone cried out. I turned to see Miku racing towards me with tears in her eyes. "I was so worried," she said, throwing herself on my bed. "They told us you might die!" Miku sobbed into the sheets. I patted her on the head, trying to console her. I was obviously alive and would be fine.

Behind her, Luka, Gakupo, and Kaito came into the room. "Hey," Kaito waved. He set down a basket on my bedside table. It was filled with chocolates and other little treats. "We brought you a gift." I grabbed the basket and began to take out the gifts. It was all my favorite candies. "Thanks guys!" I smiled, putting a piece of chocolate in my mouth. "It's delicious!" The three of them pulled some chairs next to my bed, while Miku continued to lie there. I was just going to let her be.

"So, do you want to tell us what happened?" Luka frowned, crossing her arms. "We told you countless times to be careful." I gave her a cheesy smile. "Sorry, I really tried to be. Long story short, some bad guys shot me, but I'm okay." Everyone's eyes widened. "Why were you fighting 'bad guys'?" Gakupo asked. "Are you crazy?" I shrugged. I've done a lot of stupid stuff lately. Calling it crazy would be an understatement. Miku let go of my blankets and looked up at me. Her tears smeared her make-up. She looked a bit terrifying. "Don't ever do that again!" she shouted. I smiled at her. I was grateful to have friends who were so worried about me. "I promise," I told her.

"Having a party in here?" someone said. Len was standing in the doorway, holding a bottle of water. He threw it to me and I caught it. "I had to walk across the entire hospital to get that," he said. "You're welcome." I unscrewed the cap and took a sip. "Len, what are you doing here?" everyone exclaimed. Oh yeah, I guess they haven't seen him in a while. "Rin called me," Len said, sitting at the edge of my bed. Is that the story we're going with?

"Are you really transferring?" Miku asked suddenly. Len nodded. "Why?" Miku demanded to know. "It was my Grandpa's decision, not my choice," Len said, speaking as if it was no big deal. "You can't leave!" Miku moaned, grabbing onto Len. "What will Rin do without you?" I felt myself go red. "Miku!" I hissed. "She'll be fine," Len said. "She's a big girl."

"We're going to miss you," Miku said, beginning to cry again. Jesus Christ, get your emotions together, Miku. "I'll… err… miss you too," Len said hesitantly, carefully patting Miku on the back. He looked uncomfortable. "Leave him alone," I told Miku. "It's not like you can do anything about him leaving." Miku pulled herself together and stood up. She pushed a piece of her hair back into place. "Sorry," she said, wiping her eyes. "So, where are you going now?" Gakupo asked, arms crossed. Len shrugged. "Some private school. Don't really know yet." It's nice to know he's planned ahead.

I looked out the hospital window and noticed that it was already late afternoon. My friends had been here longer than I thought. "You guys should head back home," I yawned. "It's getting late and I'm tired." Everyone, except Len, gathered their things and got ready to leave. "Bye Rin!" Miku waved, walking out the door. "Recover fast!"

"Thanks!" I smiled. I was sad that they were leaving, but I was tired. I wanted to take a nap before Dad came by to visit later. I noticed Len was still sitting in his chair, eating of piece of MY chocolate. "What are you still doing here?" I asked. "I promised your Dad that I'd stay, remember," he retorted, finishing off the chocolate. We were both quiet for a second. "So…" I started. "When do you think you're next… you know… is gonna be?" Len looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I'm glad that since your cover's been blown you think that you can just act like an asshole," I frowned. "I really appreciate that. Why don't you put your glasses back on and you can at least let me entertain the illusion that you're a nice person?" Len looked a little offended. "Jerk," I mumbled under my breath. I set my head against my pillow and closed my eyes. "I'm tired!" I announced. "Go find something to do until my Dad gets back." I was starting to question my emotions now. Did I like Len or the "fake" Len? I don't even know or really care at this point.

I heard Len stand up and open the door. "Tomorrow," he said softly. I opened my eyes and turned to him. "Excuse me?" I asked. "My next 'thing'… it's tomorrow," he quietly replied. "Ah," I said, closing my eyes again. There was a small smile on my face. "Be careful then," I added. Then, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, Len was gone and Dad was at my side. Dad seemed to be a nervous wreck. He hasn't seen me awake in a while. He must be worried sick. "Rin!" he called out when I woke up. He threw his arms around me in a giant hug. "Hey Dad," I said, hugging him back. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked. He examined my body to make sure I didn't have any cuts and bruises, besides the giant bandage around my chest. "I'm fine," I laughed. "I already feel a lot better. I think I'll be able to go home by tomorrow!"

"Let's not be hasty. I don't want to take any risks. I want you to be completely recovered."

"Ok, ok. Got it."

"Now, do you want to explain exactly how you got into this mess?" Dad frowned. Oh, shit. "It's a long story…" I said, trying to be casual. "I have a lot of time," Dad replied, obviously not satisfied with my answer. I tried to summarize everything for him, but omitting all the information about Len. I just pretended that the Masked Gentleman never appeared. "I can't believe I raised my daughter to be so reckless," Dad groaned once I finished my story. "Where did I go wrong?"

"On the contrary," I argued. "A good detective has to take some risks. You taught me right."

"I'm starting to seriously question my decision to let you shadow me at work." I gave Dad a cheesy smile and he sighed. He was a sucker for my smiles. "Just promise me you want do anything reckless again," Dad added in a serious tone. "I can't take all this stress."

"I promise," I sighed. I really couldn't promise that though, but if it made Dad feel better… "Are you going to stay the night?" I asked. Dad shook his head. "I have some stuff to finish at home. Those robbers that you confronted? They got caught last night, which means a lot of paper work on the police officer's end. Not to mention everything with the missing Stardust and the Masked Gentleman. I get a headache just thinking about it." Dad stood up to leave. "Good night," I waved. "You too," Dad smiled. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask a nurse." I nodded and then Dad left.

A few minutes after Dad left, a nurse came and brought me some dinner. Once she left, I was all alone. I ate my dinner while I was lost in thought. I wonder who stopped those robbers yesterday. I secretly hoped that my injury had at least somewhat assisted the police's efforts. I was also thinking about Len. After all that happened the past few days, he still has the nerve to go steal stuff. I swear. One day, I'll make him explain everything to me. I know he hasn't revealed all his secrets.

Then, there was a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Oh, yeah," I remembered. "I'm not supposed to see him again. This time, it's for real." Even though he was acting annoying, I didn't want him to be completely gone. I was also worried about him. Wait… Why should I be worried? He's the Masked Gentleman for heaven's sakes. I'm sure he can handle anything (well, except for those robbers, but that's beside the point). I gave a loud sigh. I really should just let him go and move on with life. Unless some cute detective boy shows up though, I doubt that's going to happen. Damn, why does this have to be so complicated?

* * *

 **Len's POV**

When Rin's Dad came to visit her, I left the hospital. He gave me a brief "thank you" and then I left. Piko was waiting outside the hospital in the car. He had cleaned up all the blood and made sure that Stardust got to the client. It's nice to have him to depend on. "How are you doing?" Piko said when I got in the car. He must've noticed the serious look of my face. "Fine," I said. He gave me a look that showed that he didn't believe me, but he said nothing.

The drive home was silent. I didn't have much to say. When I got home, Piko told me to head to the dining room. Grandpa had something to talk with me about and dinner was ready. Good, I was hungry. I went into the dining room and sat down at the table. Grandpa was sitting at the other end, looking through some papers. "Hey," I said, grabbing his attention. I began to eat my dinner. "Hello," Grandpa said with a smile. "How was the hospital?"

"Depressing."

"Ah, I see. So… have you given any thought to your future decisions?" Grandpa asked, taking off his reading glasses. I stopped eating for a minute. "What decisions?" I asked. Grandpa looked at me with a blank face. "Piko, come here," Grandpa suddenly said. Piko came out from the kitchen and leaned over to Grandpa. He began to whisper something in his ear that I could just barely here.

"Was my hint not obvious enough?"

"No, Master. I thought it was quite clear."

"Maybe my grandson is just an idiot." I cleared my throat loudly. "I can still hear you," I frowned. Grandpa let Piko go and resumed the conversation. "Sorry," Grandpa apologized. "If you haven't considered it, then I won't force it on you. You have to figure it out yourself, though I do feel bad for the poor girl."

"What are you talking about?" I was a bit irritated now. Grandpa was speaking nonsense. He must be getting old fast. "Nevermind," Grandpa sighed. "I've had a long day. I'm going to go to bed." He stood up and went to his bedroom. Fine, don't tell me. When I finished eating, Piko came into to clear my decisions. "Are you still planning on continuing with your heist tomorrow?" he asked as he took my plate. "Why wouldn't I?" I asked. "Is the note ready?" Piko nodded and then he disappeared into the kitchen.

Why was everyone questioning me all of a sudden? Did I do something wrong? In the back of my head, a voice answered "yes", but I wasn't sure exactly what I had done wrong. I guess I had screwed up during the last heist and Rin had gotten hurt instead of me. My thoughts wandered back to Rin. Why do they keep doing that? She looked a bit disappointed when I told her that I was having another heist. She shouldn't care anymore. She's not involved. The thought of that made my chest hurt. I couldn't let her get involved, not after what happened. I had gotten so worked up and worried about her. If that happened again, it would be a hindrance on my work. My head was starting to hurt. I was getting another headache. I got up from the table and went to bed. I needed to figure my thoughts out.


	11. Chapter 11

**Len's POV**

The next day, I tried not to think about Rin. I didn't visit her in the hospital. Yesterday would be the last time we met, and I intended to keep that promise this time. I

As the day grew later, I grew more anxious. I was nervous about the heist, but I didn't know why. I guess the incident from last time shook me up a bit. It was the closest encounter with death that I ever wanted to have. I watched the clock in my bedroom slowly move until it was 9:00. It was time to head over. No doubt the police where and had been on the scene for hours. The notice went out early this morning when I was at the hospital with Rin. Piko had sent it to the police station.

I changed out of my normal clothes and put on my suit. On one of the cuffs, there was a bit of blood. I assumed it was Rin's. I'd have to have Piko clean it. I put my mask into my pocket. I walked out of my bedroom into the main hall. Grandpa was there talking to Piko. Piko was holding a long black coat. I would be wearing it to the museum and then sneak in through a vacant employee hatch.

"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Piko asked, handing me the coat. "Yes," I sighed. Everyone needs to get off my case. Why wouldn't I be able to handle this? I am _the_ Masked Gentleman after all. "Make sure you're careful," Grandpa said. He opened the front door and walked out with me. "The sketch is very delicate." I nodded. I was always careful anyways. It wouldn't be good for business if we returned damaged goods. With that, I began my short trek to the museum, ready for another successful night as a phantom thief.

 **Rin's POV**

Miku decided to come visit me again. She was sitting in a plastic chair next to me, eating a premade meal she bought from the hospital cafeteria. "This is better than I expected!" she exclaimed, gobbling every last piece. "Do you want some?" She held up the box with the food to me, but I declined. My appetite hadn't been very good for the past few days. I grabbed the TV remote and turned on the small TV that was in the corner of the hospital room. I'm sure they don't have any good channels though, just like hotels. Anything would be good at this point though. Spending all day in a hotel room is boring.

The TV automatically turned onto the news. Let's keep it on that. I put the remote next to me on the bed and leaned my head against the pillow. Miku had been here all day and it was already 10:00. I didn't know when she was planning to go home. I'm pretty sure visitors' hours ended a long time ago, but nobody came to kick her out.

"The Masked Gentleman is back!" the news anchor exclaimed on the TV. Miku looked up from her food and at the screen. She gave a girly scream. "Tonight he plans to steal the sketch of the 'Whisper in the Woods', a famous painting from the 1800s. It is the first sketch of the legendary painter Mizki, a realistic naturalist artist heavily influenced by Western culture." There was an image of the painting next to the sketch. Why would someone just want the sketch? The painting would be more valuable.

"Idiot. Don't forget about Kaito in your stupid fantasies. The poor guy…" Kaito couldn't fight against a phantom thief. There was something about attractive criminals that just brought in all the girls. "The sketch is held in the same museum from the Masked Gentleman's first heist. Police are on guard and promise not to make the same mistakes again." I gave a small laugh. The police seem to always be making mistakes, though I used to be one of the people making the mistakes too.

"It's going to be midnight soon," Miku said, pointing at the clock. "Maybe they'll get the Masked Gentleman on camera!" That won't happen. Len decided to skip school. I really needed to prepare for the night's heist. It was at the same museum from my very first heist. The methods I used before wouldn't work. Tonight, the client wanted a drawing or a "sketch" by some famous dead artist. According to the client, that dead artist was their great-grandmother or some crap and they wanted the drawing back. I try not to pry too much into the client's reasons for wanting what they do. I just get it back for them.

"That guy is really going for it," I mumbled under my breath. Miku didn't even notice that I said anything. She was too focused on the TV. "He's so cool," she smiled about to faint. "Did you get to see him at the night you were attacked? You must have!"

"I did," I confessed. "But his face was covered by a mask, obviously. I didn't see much of him."

"I wish I could even see that much."

will make a clean escape. He always does. He is _the_ Masked Gentleman after all.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER -**

 **Len's POV**

As I moved into position in the museum, the police were running around everywhere. After Rin's accident, everyone seemed to be on high alert. Though they knew I wasn't dangerous, they probably didn't want to take any chances. The head police inspector, Gumi, seemed to be extra on guard. Despite all their extra security, not a single officer thought to check on the small employee area in the back of the museum. It connected through the back of the museum and was supposed to be a secret.

It was almost midnight. Time to start the show. I ran through the employee hallway up towards the hall where the sketch was stored. There was a door behind a wall that led into the exhibit hall from the secret hallway. I carefully opened it a little bit and peaked out. Officers were everywhere. It was the most I had ever seen. Gumi stuck out like a sore thumb with her bright green hair. One of her hands was in her pocket. I could tell she was gripping something tightly in there, but it definitely wasn't a gun.

"A minute until midnight!" Gumi shouted, alerting the other officers. "You all know the plan. No mercy tonight." It's incredible how confident they all are every time despite never being successful. I took a smoke bomb out of my pocket. It had become a commonplace trick for me. It made it easy to conceal my entrance and exit. I threw it into the exhibit hall and the room filled with smoke. I snuck out the door and ran over to the sketch, which was placed on top of an antique table. While everyone was coughing and struggling to see, I picked up the sketch and stuck it in my suit.

"What a poor performance," I whined to the police. They hadn't done very much to stop me. Had they finally given up? "I expected better. Well, I'll be on my way," I grinned, ready to make my escape. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I reached for it and pulled out a small needle that had lodged itself there.

"Gotcha!" Gumi smiled, walking over to me. A sudden wave of tiredness overcame me. My eyes began to close. Those bastards! They shot a sleeping dart at me. I tried to run away, but stumbled and fell to the ground. I couldn't make myself get up. All my limbs were heavy. Gumi knelt down beside me and pulled the sketch from my suit. "Don't ever underestimate us," she laughed. "You'll regret it." With those words, I fell deep asleep.

When I woke up again, I was sitting in a cold room. My vision was blurry and it took a few minutes for it to focus. Then, I realized that I was in a cell at the police department. Iron bars separated me and the officers that were watching me. Among them was Gumi, who was making small talk with another officer. My mind was still foggy and I couldn't think straight. I had a pounding headache. I touched my head in a vain attempt to make the pain go away. In that instant, I realized something important wasn't there. My mask was gone.

My face was completely exposed. I began to panic and searched the cell for my mask. Did it fall off or did they take it off? Gumi noticed me and walked over to the edge of the cell. "Finally awake?" she smiled, opening the cell door. She walked it and then locked it shut. "I've been waiting for this a long time," she mused, taking a seat next to me. "I wish Rin was here. She'd love this, but because of you, she's in the hospital right now. I wonder if you even know what happened to her."

Of course I did, but I couldn't admit that. I didn't let my eyes meet hers. I couldn't stand it. It was all over. Not even Grandpa couldn't get me out of this. "Anyways, I have a couple questions before we send you off to jail for real," Gumi said. "I'll be questioning you in here to ensure you don't pull any magic tricks on us. Not that you could. We've already removed everything from your person." She was right. Everything that I had been carrying with me to make my escape was gone. I was screwed.

"Question 1," Gumi smiled, putting up one finger. "Who are you really?" I said nothing. They couldn't force me to say anything. If I was silent, maybe I could still get out of this. When it was obvious that I wasn't going to answer, Gumi gave a loud sigh. "So you're going to play the quiet game," she frowned. "Well, we've already broadcasted your picture on all the major news stations. Somehow is bound to know your identity, not to mention we're running DNA tests right now." Despite her reasoning, I still kept quiet.

"Question 2," Gumi continued. "What have you done with everything you've stolen?" That I definitely couldn't answer. That would put all of my clients at risk, which was the one thing I couldn't do. I was silent again. Gumi realized this was a pointless fight and stood up. "We'll take him into questioning later," she announced to the other officers. She opened the cell door, left, and then locked it up tight. "Maybe he'll be more cooperative tomorrow." Gumi and many of the other officers left the room I was in, probably to go home for the night. They would be back tomorrow and would push even harder to get their answers. Shit, what am I going to do?

 **Rin's POV**

It was considerably late now, but I couldn't fall asleep. Miku had gone home, so I was alone in my hospital room. I kept the news on to see the updates on Len's heist. I hadn't expected to hear anything, except for that it was a success. I was going to try and fall asleep when a sudden news alert appeared on the screen.

"This just in!" the news anchor said, almost shouting. She seemed excited. "The Masked Gentleman has been apprehended!" I almost fell out of bed. What?! A picture of Len flashed on screen. The picture looked like it had been taken at the police station, a place I had been many times. "If anyone can offer information as to the identity of the Masked Gentleman, please call the local police station immediately." I grabbed my cellphone and began to punch in Dad's number. How could this have happened? Len's never even come close to getting caught before. Dad picked up on the other end of the phone. "Rin!" he exclaimed. "I was just about to call you. Did you hear? We caught the Masked Gentleman. I'm about to head down to the station and catch a glimpse of him. I've been in the car all night, so I haven't seen him yet."

"Dad, you need to come pick me up right now and take me to the police station."

"I can't do that. You're still hurt…"

"Dad, you need to come _right now_." Dad was quiet for a moment, but after hearing the serious tone in my voice, he decided to come pick me up. He said it might take a few minutes since patients don't normally leave the hospital at 2:00 in the morning, but since he was a police officer, he might be able to pull a few strings. I hung up the phone and got out of bed. Walking was a little difficult still, but I would manage. I threw on a jacket that Dad had brought for me earlier and walked out of the hospital room.

Immediately, I was stopped by a nurse who said it was late and that I needed to go back to my room. I explained to her that there was an "emergency" and my Dad was coming to pick me up in just a few minutes. I told her it was an urgent family matter, which was a lie, but I needed to get out of here. The nurse let me go and I ran down to the hospital lobby. There were still many people working there, but none of them seemed to care about my presence. That was good. There would be fewer questions to answer when Dad came to get me.

I took a seat in one of the vacant chairs and waited for Dad. I was silently praying that Len was okay. How did he get to himself into this mess? I would have to come to his rescue, once again. At this point, it was like he was trying to make it impossible to forget about him. I hoped that since the news broadcast had aired during the middle of the night, few people had seen it. That would limit the number of people who possibly knew his identity.

"Rin!" someone called. I looked up and saw Dad. "Let's go," I commanded, standing up. I ran out the door with Dad close behind. He didn't seem to understand why I was in such a rush. Dad had parked the car right outside the hospital entrance, so I was able to hop right in. "We need to get to the police station as soon as possible," I told Dad. He nodded and began to floor it.

We reached the police station in only a few minutes. I jumped out of the car and ran into the station. TO my surprise, there were many officers there, including Gumi. "Rin!" she smiled, running over to give me a hug. "You must have heard the news. We got him!"

"Let me see him," I said. Gumi nodded and led me into a smaller room that I knew had a small jail cell. It was used to detain criminals for questioning or before they could be transferred to a higher level prison if needed. Sure enough, sitting in that cell was Len. He looked so depressed, staring at the ground. He knew he was in big trouble, but even the great Masked Gentleman didn't know how to get out of it. Thank god he has me.

"There he is!" Gumi proclaimed, pointing at Len. He looked up and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw me. "R-Rin?" he mumbled. "Why are you here?" It was Gumi's turn to look at me with wide eyes. "You know him?" she exclaimed. Now was the time for me to showcase my grade A lying and acting skills.

"This isn't the real Masked Gentleman," I said, walking over to the jail cell. "This is my classmate, Len Kagamine. He owed me a favor, so he promised to help me with my plan to catch the Masked Gentleman." Gumi looked at me in confusion. Len looked equally confused. "I wanted to create a decoy to lure the Masked Gentleman out," I explained. "Len would dress up at the Masked Gentleman and sneak into the museum through a route that I prepacked out. He would pretend to steal the sketch and hopefully bring the Masked Gentleman out into the open. I guess it didn't work though, since you caught the fake." Gumi and Len were both looking at me in awe.

"You mean…" Gumi stammered. "This guy, he isn't the real Masked Gentleman?" I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I didn't want to tell you about my plan in case the Masked Gentleman found out. He must've gotten away, but at least he didn't steal the sketch. Isn't that right, Len?" I turned to Len and gave him a look. He needed to play along with my lie. "That's right," he shouted nervously. "I was just doing a favor for Rin. I didn't know I was going to get into this much trouble. If I did, I would have never accepted." Gumi looked like she was going to fall over. "Man, now I have to call all the news stations and tell them to stop their reports on the Masked Gentleman. Kid, your picture is all over the news. Everyone thinks you're a criminal. Sorry about that."

Gumi brought out a pair of keys and unlocked the cell door. Len stepped out and stood beside me. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," I apologized again. "I didn't think you'd actually catch him."

"You underestimated the power of the police," Gumi grinned. "We're pretty tough."

"Yeah," I smiled. I grabbed Len's arm and pulled him out of the room. Dad was standing in the entrance to the police station and gave me a surprised look. He pointed at Len and said, "Isn't that your friend?"

"It's a funny story, Dad," I said quickly. "I'm just gonna take him outside and I'll talk to you later. 'Kay? Bye." I pulled Len out of the police station and towards a shadowy corner of the street. I didn't want anyone to hear our conversation. "What the hell happened?" I hissed, letting of Len's arm. "They knocked me out," Len explained. "They had some kind of sleeping dart." After my injury, I bet the police weren't willing to take any more risks. They weren't afraid to play dirty to stop a potentially dangerous criminal. "You gotta stop this," I said. "This is the 2nd time I've saved your ass. You're going to get caught soon."

"Last time I checked, you're not my mom," Len scoffed. "I can handle myself."

"Sure you can," I taunted. "Let me just go tell Gumi that I you are the real Masked Gentleman." I pretended to walk away, but Len grabbed me and pulled me close to him. "Don't you dare," he whispered. His face was so close to mine. It didn't bother me though. If he was going to threaten me, I'd do the same. I pushed my face closer and kissed him on the lips. I've fallen into some bad habits, haven't I?

It was a sweet kiss and he didn't pull away as fast as I expected. It was… nice. When he pulled away, he was as red as a tomato. It reminded me of how he acted before. "I'll compromise with you," I said. I was prepared to strike a deal. "I won't rat you out if you come back to school. You can't stay out of trouble without me, so I just won't leave your side." The deal was very one-sided in my favor, but he couldn't refuse. I suppose it was just a way to fulfill my selfish desires, but I didn't really care.

Len was silent as he thought over what I said. I could tell that he didn't want to accept, but he had no choice. "Fine," he huffed. "Great!" I smiled. "I'll see you at school once I'm released from the hospital. Speaking of the hospital, I should be heading back. I didn't really have 'official' permission to leave." With that, I left Len in the shadows and found Dad. I told him that everything was taken care of and that we could go back to the hospital. Dad had a lot of questions, but I promised him that I would explain everything in the car.

The entire drive back to the hospital, I had a smug grin on my face. I had gotten a lot accomplished tonight. Len would come back to school and maybe, just maybe, I would be able to convince him to give up this life of crime. I never believed Miku when she said that I would fall in love with someone. I never believed her when she said that being in love meant you would give your all for the person you love, but now I've realized that she really was telling the truth the whole time.

 **Len's POV**

Rin left me alone to return to her Dad. I pulled out my cellphone which Gumi had returned to me before Rin and I exited the station. There were multiple missed messages and phone calls. I dialed Piko's number and prepared myself for a scolding. "Len Kagamine, what the hell are you doing?!" Piko shouted from the other end. "Your Grandfather and I just saw your face plastered all over the news!"

"Don't worry about it," I sighed. "It's all taken care of. Rin helped me out and the police think that I was a decoy she sent out to catch the real Masked Gentleman. Everything is okay."

"Thank god for her otherwise you would be dead a thousand times over." Wow. Harsh. "Can you come pick me up?" I asked. "I'm at the police station."

"I'll be there in five minutes," Piko said and then he hung up the phone. While I waited for Piko, my mind drifted back to the kiss Rin and I had. It wasn't the first time she had kissed me, but this time it felt even more intense. Why did she keep doing this and why did it feel so good? Damn it. I can't let myself get caught up in all this. She has me wrapped around her finger. I have transfer back to school. I hadn't even attended my new school for a week. Grandpa isn't going to be happy about this.

A car pulled up beside the police station and I saw Piko and Grandpa inside. Shit. I walked over and opened the car door. I got in and said nothing. Piko seemed to be pissed off, but Grandpa didn't seem to be that upset. "Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded and he sighed. "I had a bad feeling about tonight," he cursed himself. "I should have held you back. You're very lucky your girlfriend saved you."

"She's not my girlfriend!" I yelled. Grandpa began to laugh. "You really are a fool," he smiled. "Perhaps tonight would be a good time to lay the name of the Masked Gentleman to rest. It has gotten too dangerous and there is something out there more important for you than stealing." I didn't know what he was talking about, but there was a part of me that agreed. I was at two strikes. One more and I'd be done for. I didn't want to give it up. It was an addicting feeling. My time as the Masked Gentleman was one of the most exciting times of my life, but I didn't want to risk going to prison either.

"Maybe your right, Gramps," I frowned, setting my head against the back of the seat. I was exhausted and needed some sleep. Though I was trying to sleep, I had many thoughts running through my head. If I gave up being the Masked Gentleman, I could return to school without any issues and it was possible things would go back to just how they were before.

Despite being disappointed and sad, I was ready to give up everything since being the Masked Gentleman was getting too dangerous. Little did I know that I would have to give one more performance as the Masked Gentleman and it would be the most risky theft of all.


	12. Chapter 12

**Rin's POV**

To my great pleasure, Len returned to school the following Monday, which was when I was allowed to return to daily life and leave the hospital. Everyone was extremely confused due to his sudden disappearance and equally sudden reappearance. He told the class that he had some temporary family issues, but they were resolved quicker than expected and he was able to return to school. No one had taken his seat yet, so the teacher sent him back to the same spot, right in front of me. He was wearing his glasses, a sign that he planned to continue his little "act". His hair was a bit messy and covered his face. He looked like a sad and vulnerable kid. Of course, I knew this wasn't the case.

He sat down in front of me and didn't make eye contact with me. It was obvious that he was upset. I tapped him on the shoulder, but he didn't turn around. Well, if he wants to act that way… He was paying any attention to me, so I hit the back of his head with my hand. "OW!" he screamed, turning around. Miku looked over at me in horror. "What are you doing?" she said. "He just got back. Rin, you've gotten so mean lately." Man, he totally has her tricked. Does she even know the crap I've had to go through for this guy? I ignored Miku's comment and turned to Len. "Welcome back!" I grinned. Len's face turned a bit red and he mumbled something under his breath. "Do you want to hang out in the library during lunch?" I asked. "For old times' sake." Old times being only a few weeks ago, but hey, who's counting?

"Don't you think that'd be a bit weird?" Len asked. "All things considered." I shrugged my shoulders. "I think it will be delightful," I replied. "I'll see you there." He gave a groan, which I assumed meant that he would be there. I was too far into this romance thing to give up now. I've taken a bullet for him, so the least he could do is have lunch with me. It's insane to think that I could still love him, but maybe it was meant to be. I spent so much time reading those detective and thief mangas that my life became one. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget him. Even though he had lied to me, I can see his side of things. It's not like he could tell me the truth. The whole "criminal" thing is a bit of an issue, but that can be worked out at a later time.

While class was going on, Miku and I kept passing notes. "What's up with you and Len?" she wrote on a tiny sheet of paper. "You both are acting weird." She threw the paper over to my desk and I opened it up. It was so tempting to tell her the entire story, but I knew I had to keep it a secret. "We're completely fine," I replied. I tossed the paper back. Miku read it with an uneasy expression, but she didn't question me any further.

The bell rang for lunch and Miku ran off to be with Kaito. She didn't even offer to eat with her best friend, who just got out of the hospital. I waited for Len to pack up all his things so we could walk to the library together. "What are you waiting for?" he asked as he grabbed his backpack. "You," I said. "And you're slow. Hurry up!" The two of us walked to the library in an awkward silence. Neither of us knew what to say. We reached the library and we were the only ones in there. Even the librarian had left. We took our usual seat.

"I'm sorry for all this," I suddenly blurted. "I just… I just didn't want you to leave me for good." I blushed and cursed myself for saying something so utterly stupid. "I guess it's the least I can do," Len sighed. "You've helped me out a lot lately." It didn't sound like he was picking up on any of my cues. "It doesn't even matter anymore," Len continued. "Since I'm quitting my 'job'."

"What?" I exclaimed. "Why?"

"It's getting a little dangerous," Len explained. "The police aren't taking chances anymore and Gramps is worried about me. Thieving now is really different from when he used to do it. There's a lot of risks."

"That's good," I agreed. "It is dangerous and I can't stand being constantly worried about you all the time."

"Why would you be worried about me?" I was silent. Len rose an eyebrow, demanding an answer. "Because I like you, dumbass!" I shouted. "I already told you that, geez." I turned my head away, so he couldn't see how red I was. Little did I know that he looked exactly the same. "T-this is ridiculous," he stammered. "You know if you're quitting," I began. "We could try… dating and stuff. I mean, you did tell me you liked me. Even if you lied, that's a serious commitment to a girl and I'm not letting that go." I was going to get revenge and the boy I like all in one go. How devious of me.

Len didn't say anything. He was in awe at my request. I sighed and said, "We don't have to go that far, but at least tell me what you think of me. If you don't like me, I'll give up, but you have to say it to my face."

"I don't dislike you…" Len said. I crossed my arms and frowned. I wouldn't accept him dodging the question. "Maybe I like you… a little bit," he finally said. His answer surprised me and I felt a rush of happiness. I'm turning into such a girl right now. Miku could be saying "I told you so" if she was here. "So then we'll try dating," I said with a smile. "And we can turn that little bit into a lotta bit." With that, I noticed that was already time to go back to class and I hadn't even gotten to eat my lunch yet. A bit embarrassed, but also excited, I rushed back to class to tell Miku the news.

She was ecstatic for me. I promised her that I would tell Luka and everyone else tomorrow. She wanted everyone to know. She was extremely proud of herself that I had finally gotten a boyfriend as if she was the one who did it for me. The rest of the day went by in a flash and it was difficult to focus.

I went home by myself and had decided against telling Dad the news at least for a couple days. I wasn't sure how he would take it, so I wanted to wait a few days and see if everything worked out. Dad seemed to like Len though. I prayed everything would be fine, though if he ever knew what Len's other side, he might disapprove.

I was walking through the downtown when I got a shiver down my spine. I felt like someone was watching me. I turned all around and saw nothing but normal pedestrians. No one was looking at me in particular. Perhaps I was just going a bit crazy. I continued walking down the street, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was behind me. I was walking across an alleyway when suddenly someone grabbed me from behind. I began to yell, but the person covered my mouth with a cloth. It must have had chloroform on it because I began to feel dizzy. My body went limp and I couldn't fight back. My attacker was wearing a mask, so I couldn't see their face. What was going on? Why was I being attacked? Somebody help!

 **Len's POV**

"Because I like you, dumbass!" Rin shouted. "I already told you that, geez." That's right, she had, but so much had happened since then that I forgot about it. It seemed like a joke. How could she like me? I lied to her and because of me she almost died. Though I know I'm attractive, there isn't anything exceptional about me that she would like. The greatest part about me is that I'm the Masked Gentleman and she doesn't like that very much. I turned red at her confession. Even though I couldn't understand her, I felt my heart rate increase. Damn it, not this again. Ever since that moment when she found out my secret, I've felt a little weird around her. I did a good job of masking it at the hospital and at the police station, but now that she confronting me, I couldn't control myself.

"You know if you're quitting," she began again. "We could try… dating and stuff. I mean, you did tell me you liked me. Even if you lied, that's a serious commitment to a girl and I'm not letting that go." I had put her through a lot. That fake confession really seemed to shake her. I felt a sense of guilt creeping up on me. "We don't have to go that far, but at least tell me what you think of me. If you don't like me, I'll give up, but you have to say it to my face." She continued. My heart stopped. She wanted a confession? Or a rejection, but I couldn't do that.

"I don't dislike you…" I said slowly. My hands were getting sweaty and I was ready to bolt out of the room. Rin crossed her arms and frowned. She wanted a serious answer. Before I could stop myself, words came oozing out of my mouth. "I guess I like you… a little bit." My mind had stopped working and my heart had taken over. This crazy detective girl who had been the bane of my existence for a long time, this girl that I had lied to and betrayed, this girl that saved my life and got me out of prison… I liked her at least a tiny bit.

"So then we'll try dating," she said with a wide smile. "And we can turn that little bit into a lotta bit." With those words, she got up and ran out of the library. I was left alone, astounded and a bit confused. Everything just happened so fast and I was leaving here… with a girlfriend? How was I going to tell Piko and Gramps when I got home? I had a suspicion though that neither of them were going to be too disappointed. In fact, Gramps might be happier than me.

The rest of the day felt like it didn't happen. Rin and I didn't speak much the rest of the day. We both felt a little awkward. Rin left school as soon as it was over like she was in a rush to get home. I took my time getting home, preparing myself to explain what had happened today. I walked in the front door and was welcomed by Piko, who asked if I wanted anything to eat. I declined and told him to get Grandpa because I had some news. I was just going to bite this bullet and tell them. They'd find out anyway.

Gramps came out of another room. "What's going on?" he asked. "I… I got a girlfriend," I said quietly. Gramps and Piko's eyes widened. "Is it Rin?" Piko exclaimed in a high voice. He sounded like an excited high school girl. "Maybe," I grumbled. Gramps ran over and gave me a giant hug. "I'm so proud of you, my boy!" he shouted. It looked like there were tears coming from his eyes. ? "I knew it was only a matter of time!"

"Thanks," I mumbled. In the middle of this "loving" moment, my phone began to ring. Gramps finally let go of me and I reached for my phone. The caller was an unknown number from an unknown place. Normally I wouldn't answer those kinds of calls, but this time I did. "Hello?" I said into the phone. "Who's this?"

"You don't need to know," the voice on the other end sounded unnaturally deep, like someone was using a voice modifier. "I have a job for you."

"Who is this?" I shouted, ready to hang up. The voice didn't answer my question and instead said, "I want you to steal the Queen's Crown from the Tokyo Central Musuem before the week comes to an end."

"I'm sorry I don't know what you're talking about," I replied. Who was this person and how did they know I was the Masked Gentleman? Clients didn't have my personal cell number. This "Queen's Crown" they wanted, I had heard of it. The Tokyo Central Musuem is one of the most highly secure Musuem's in the world with an insane security system. The crown is not only made out of gold, but adorned in expensive jewels. It would easily be the most expensive thing I had stolen yet. "I think you do," the voice said in a smug tone. "How much are you willing to pay?' I sighed after a moment of silence. A job like this wouldn't be cheap.

"Nothing," the voice said. "Consider this job a favor to me if you want something returned. Once you steal the crown, I'll be in contact and tell you what to do next." The voice hung up. What was he talking about? What did he have? My phone rang again and there was a picture message that the unknown person sent. I opened the message and almost dropped my phone when I saw the picture. It was a picture of a girl in a dark room. Her legs and arms were bound and her eyes were covered with a blindfold. I could instantly tell who is was from that signature bow. It was Rin and she was in danger.

"Who was that?" Gramps asked. "Someone has kidnapped Rin," I said seriously. Gramps and Piko looked at me in fear. "They want me to steal the Queen's Crown before the week is up or they're going to hurt her," I continued. "That's too risky!" Piko exclaimed. "You can't take any more chances!"

"Rin is in trouble!" I yelled. "We have to save her." Piko looked frustrated, but even he had to agree. We couldn't leave Rin in danger. "Gramps, what do we do?" I asked. I was beginning to feel anxious and scared. What would I do if she got hurt again and it was my fault? Rin had been lucky so far, but if someone had gone far enough to kidnap her, who knows what they might do. "Gramps…?" I said again.

"Well," he said. "You'll just have to steal the Queen's Crown and get her back."


	13. Chapter 13

**Updates \\(|0|)/**

* * *

 **Len's POV**

It seemed like the entire world was going to fall apart. Gramps was openly encouraging me to steal the Queen's Crown, but it's not like I have any other choice. I couldn't leave Rin in the hands of her kidnapper much longer. I didn't know who they were or what they were planning to do to her. After the mysterious phone call, Grandpa told me to go to bed and get some rest. He and Piko promised to do some research on the Queen's Crown and the Tokyo Central Museum during the night. They, like me, wanted to get this job finished as soon as possible. I tried to fall asleep, but it took me a long time. My worries consumed me and kept me up until I fell asleep from pure exhaustion.

I decided not to go to school the next morning. I couldn't handle it and I didn't know what to say if any of Rin's friends asked me where she was. I woke up and went downstairs for breakfast. I had no appetite, but I managed to eat a banana. While I was eating, my phone began to ring. I quickly grabbed it, thinking it was another call from the mysterious voice. "What do you want now?" I sneered. It bothered me that this person had me completely wrapped around their finger. "Is this Rin's friend, Len?" a foreign voice said on the other end. It wasn't the mysterious voice. I recognized this one. It was Rin's dad.

"Oh, Mr. Kagane?" I panicked. "What's going on? How did you get my number?"

"Have you seen Rin?" he said. He sounded anxious. It was obvious that I wasn't the first person he called about this. It was also clear that no one had given him an answer yet. What do I do? I can't tell him the truth, but then he will be oblivious to the fact that Rin is in serious danger. "She's over at my house," I lied. "She stayed the night, but I guess she forgot to call home. She said she was planning to stay a couple days. We're working on a really big school project. She's in the bathroom right now, so she can't talk to you right now…"

"Oh, she is with you?" Mr. Kagane sighed. "Thank goodness. I was really worried. Can you ask her to text me next time then? I swear, she can be so irresponsible."

"Will do, sir," I replied, then I hung up the phone. That was one less problem to deal with now. Too bad it was the smallest of all my current problems. "Who was that?" Piko asked, entering the kitchen. "Was it the same person from before?" I shook my head. "It was Rin's dad, but don't worry. I managed to get him off our case for a bit." Piko nodded and tossed a pile of papers in front of me. "This is what we could dig up for your heist. It's going to be as quick and risk free as possible. No note or anything."

Though attacking without warning made me seem like nothing more than a common, dirty thief, it was a necessary evil. I didn't want anything standing in my way of getting Rin back. I read through the papers, which outlined tonight's plan. Sneak in through a ventilation shaft on the roof, use sleeping gas to knock out any guards, and Piko will sneak in and turn off the security system ahead of time. I'll smash the glass case around the crown, get it, and go. But once I got it, I didn't know how to get it to the mysterious voice.

My phone buzzed and I picked it up. It was from an unknown number again. Was Rin's Dad calling back? Did he catch on to my lie already? But it wasn't a call, but a text. "When are you planning your heist?" It was from that person. "Tonight," I texted back. "You'll have your crown before dawn breaks."

"I haven't heard anything on the news about it." A new text came to the phone. "You wouldn't be playing it safe, would you? That's no fun. Do thinks exactly as normal or there might be some consequences…" This bastard! I slammed my fists on the table and Piko looked over at me in alarm. "Piko, send out a note immediately!"

"What?" Piko exclaimed. "You're going to get caught for sure if we…"

"Send it," I reiterated. "That person says to send one or he'll hurt Rin." Piko turned pale and ran off to prepare a note. Hopefully, the news would pick up on it by noon, and it wouldn't be enough time for the police to assemble. Somehow I knew that was hoping for too much.

 **\- A FEW HOURS LATER –**

As predicted, every news station latched onto news of my newest heist, but so did the police. Almost immediately, a group of officers was sent to the museum to begin a watch. It would be hard for Piko to sneak in and disable the alarms, but I had no doubt he could do it. He left at 8:00, only a few hours before my midnight heist. It was now 10:30 and I was getting myself ready to go.

I had a normal civilian outfit that I would wear over my Masked Gentleman attire on the way to the museum. I would be able to sneak into another building and make it onto the roof. It would be hard for anyone to see me in the dark. I kept my phone in my pocket, just in case the mysterious voice called with any further instructions. Gramps got the car ready. He and Piko would wait for me a few blocks from the museum. There would be no theatrics tonight. I just had to get this done as quickly as possible.

I got into Gramps's car, more anxious than I've ever felt before. I could tell that Gramps was worried to. He had never expected anything like this to happen. An innocent person had gotten wrapped in our affairs. There was no one to blame but us. The two of us couldn't think of anything to say on the ride to the museum. We sat in silence. We parked a few blocks from the museum and I got out. There was a slight rain, but nothing that would cause any problems with my plan.

"If anything happens, call me," Gramps said, before he drove away to a safe spot. I nodded and watched him drive off. I casually joined the pedestrian traffic that was common in Tokyo, even late at night. I made my way towards the museum, where a large crowd had already started to form. The news advertised this heist and the greatest one I had done yet. It would be a "miracle" if I pulled it off. It seemed like everyone was rooting for me to win, except the police of course. People had signs and cameras. It was like they were waiting to see a celebrity. If only they knew how much was riding on this heist.

It was now 11:20. The museum was surrounded by buildings a few stories higher than it on the right, left, and back sides. I decided to infiltrate the 3rd building to the right of the museum. It was a simple office building and would have no security. I walked up to the door and found it locked, as expected. Within a few seconds, I had picked it and was able to walk right in. All the lights were off and it was hard to see. It took me a few minutes to find the stairs that led up to the top. The elevators weren't on at these late of hours. I ran up that stairs and found myself on the roof. It was level with the buildings beside it, up until the museum. I would be able to leap from one to another and then glide over to the museum.

I quickly made my way across the building tops, trying to be careful. Everything was wet and slippery from the rain, and it was a long way down. I made it to the building bordering the museum and could see all the security around it. Thankfully, no one was stationed directly on the roof, but there would definitely be people on the uppermost floor. I glided over and discarded the hang glider on the roof. It would be too cumbersome to bring it with me.

I approached the door that led into the museum and tried to hear if there was anyone nearby. The rain blocked out any noise though. I grabbed a sleeping gas bomb and opened the door. There were two guards standing at the end of the roof's stairs, but they didn't see me. They were talking with each other when I sent the sleeping gas down. In an instant, they were asleep. I sneaked down the stairs and examined the area. It was all clear. This floor seemed to be mainly for storage. I would have to make it down three more to where the crown was and then make it back up to the roof. There would be officers on every floor. I hope I brought enough sleeping gas.

The lights were dimmed, but I could still see. I found the next set of stairs and quietly made my way down them. No one was stationed on the stairs. This seemed too easy. Was I going to be tricked again? Was there some big twist waiting for me where the crown was? It didn't matter. I had to risk it. I walked down the stairs until I reached the 1st floor where the crown was. I adjusted my mask and was ready to open the door. I carefully opened it and threw in a smoke bomb. I could hear coughing. There were lots of officers in here. I raced in, just barely able to see through the smoke. I knew exactly where the crown was located, so that I could reach it when the room was filled with smoke.

The smoke cleared and there I was, right beside the crown, almost like magic. All the officers looked stunned. In the middle of it all was that Inspector. She had her gun poised and ready. "How did you get here?" she demanded. "There were men stationed on every level of this building, even the roof!"

"Better check yourself, Inspector," I taunted. "You weren't as well covered as you thought. Now, if you'd excuse me, I'll be taking this." I pulled out a small hammer and gave the glass case a lit tap. It instantly shattered, leaving the Queen's crown ready for the taking. "Don't touch," Gumi growled. "There are people all around you, even in places you can't see. If you touch that, you're as good as dead." I quickly examined the room and was able to see what she was talking about. Not only were there men throughout the room, but there were tiny holes in the walls. Some probably had cameras and others had officers with guns or sleeping darts. I wouldn't put it past the police to use the same trick twice.

"I'm afraid I can't execute your wishes," I smiled. "This is my final heist and I'd like to make it a good one, not to mention there's something bigger than the two of us riding on it." I moved my hands towards the crown and heard every officers' gun click. How was I going to get myself out of this one? Even if I threw another smoke bomb, the officers would shoot in my general direction. C'mon. I'm smarter than this. I'm the Masked Gentleman. Nothing should be able to stop me. Then, I got an idea. It was a dirty trick, but I was desperate.

A giant pile of glass had fallen around the crown from the broken case. I quickly grabbed a handful of it in both hands. The glass cut through my gloves and my hand started to bleed a bit, but I wasn't worried about it. I threw the glass in Gumi's direction and watched her grab her face and drop her gun. As all the officers turned to her to help, I grabbed the gun and threw down a smoke bomb as an extra precaution. I felt guilty for throwing the glass, but I had no choice. Hopefully, Gumi would have little or no injuries from it. I sped out of the room and towards the stairs. Within seconds, I knew there would be officers on my tail. I ran as fast as my legs would take me. My hands had coated the crown in a bit of my blood, but I didn't notice. I emerged on the roof and ran over to the side. Shit. There was a hole in my plan. I didn't bring a way to get off the roof. The hang glider was still sitting there, but it couldn't take me upwards and I couldn't glide down towards the ground, where the police were waiting. I grabbed the small hammer I used to break the glass case out and threw it at a window of the next building that was just below parallel with the roof. The window shattered and created enough space for me to sneak through. I threw the crown through the window. That was the easy part. The distance between the buildings was an issue. It wasn't too far to throw something, but it was a little too far to jump. If I got a good start though, I could make it.

I could hear footsteps nearing the roof. It was now or never. I backed up from the edge of the roof, so I was about 75 meters away. I started to sprint toward the edge, praying that this would work. I had done stupider things, but I usually had a way to save myself if something went wrong. If something went wrong here, that was it. Suddenly, I was next to the edge and I jumped into the air. I threw my arms forward desperate to grab hold of something. My cape was blowing violently in the wind. The weather had become more intense.

I felt myself began to fall and I panicked, but my hand grabbed onto the small windowsill of the window belong the one I needed to get into. I could hear the officers on the roof. They couldn't see me from where I was, but it wouldn't take them long to find me. I pulled myself up onto the windowsill, so that I was standing on it. The rain was getting in my eyes and making it hard to see. The windowsill was slippery and I could easily fall off. I jumped up and was able to grab onto to the windowsill and pull myself up. I pulled myself through the window and was cut even more by broken glass. I looked like a bloody mess. The crown was sitting on the floor and I picked it up and sighed. It was almost all over.

I ran to the roof of the building and was able to make my way across the buildings, just as how I entered. In the rain and darkness, the police couldn't see me at all. As I was escape, I wondered how I had been able to get in so easily. Gumi said that there should have been tons of officers stationed there, but there were only a few. Where had they all disappeared too? Once I was in the safety of another vacant building, my phone began to buzz. I answered it and heard the voice on the other end say, "I see you successfully got it."

"Yeah, I have it. I'll give it to you if you give me Rin."

"So impatient… You're lucky that I was able to interfere and make things a bit easier for you." Wait, they were the ones that got rid of all those officers? What kind of influence did they have? "Anyways, I've sent a location to your phone. Meet me there immediately and I'll return the girl to you."

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

The entire day, I kept drifting in and out of consciousness. My kidnapper kept giving me heavy sleeping drugs and it was starting to give me a headache. I would last under these conditions much longer. They had given me some food and water, but a very little amount. The kidnapper didn't speak to me. They kept me locked in a small room. I was tied up and couldn't go anywhere. I didn't know anything about the kidnapper either. Every time they came into the room, their face was covered. I couldn't even tell if it was a male or female.

My biggest question was why. Why had I been kidnapped? I wasn't rich and my father couldn't pay a big ransom. Was it someone I had angered while working with the police? Or perhaps it had something to do with… Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. It's all his fault, isn't it? Why did I have to fall in love with the one guy who would cause me so many problems? I don't know why I'm the one who got kidnapped, but it's definitely because of him.

While I cursed Len in my head, the door to the room opened. I looked up and saw my kidnapper standing there. They walked over and grabbed my arm, pulling me up. "What's going on?" I cried. That was all I could manage. I felt really sick and I didn't think I could walk very much. "Someone's coming to get you," they said. Their voice was deep. He was definitely a man, but his face was still covered. Who was coming to get me? Could it…? It couldn't be… The man dragged me along since I was moving slowly. My legs felt like concrete. The person brought me out to a car and pushed me inside. He got into the front and began to drive away. Where were we going?


	14. Chapter 14

**First off, I apologize for this being late. I didn't have time last week, but it doesn't matter anymore because here is the chapter. The very final chapter of A Thief in the Night. I hope you enjoyed. It was fun to write. I hope to have some more stories out in the future, but no promises. We'll just have to see ;)**

* * *

 **Len's POV**

A text arrived on my phone from the stranger. It was an address and one that I recognized. It was for the nearby city park, the one that Rin and I had visited on the night she decided it would be a good idea to jump off a building. I quickly abandoned my Masked Gentleman clothes in the office building and raced to find an exit. I would have to jump across the tops of the buildings again. If I left this building, I would certainly be caught by the police. I headed towards one of the top floors and headed towards a window. Luckily, this building was much closer to the one next to it, so there would be no death-defying leap across.

I opened the window and the window in the building next to it. I quickly slipped it and shut the window tight. I prayed that I was in the clear. I didn't have any more time to waste. I raced throughout the vacant building, almost tripping down the stairs because I was in such a hurry. While moving, I pulled out my phone and gave Gramps a call. "Hello?" I said, breathing heavily into the phone. "What's going on? Are you okay?" he said, a bit worried. "I'm fine. Bring the car around to the area five buildings down from the museum. I'm in the third one and I'll meet you there." Gramps hung up and shoved the phone back into my pocket.

I was at the building's ground floor and peaked through a window to make sure the outside was all clear. To my surprise, there was virtually no one outside the building. Everyone had run over to the museum in a panic. Lucky me. I opened the building's door and slipped outside. I joined the crowd just as easily as before. The crowd outside the museum was loud and I could tell the police were beginning to get stressed out. I could hear officers on megaphones asking the crowd to please "calm down" and "stay back". They would have their hands full for a while.

I could see Gramps's car in sight. The car drove up towards me slowly and I hopped it. "Do you have it?" Gramps asked. I was a bit offended that he doubted my thieving abilities, but I showed him the crown, which I had tried to hide under my jacket. Honestly, if anyone had stopped me on the street, it would have been difficult to hide it. "We need to head to the nearby park," I commanded. "That's where Rin is. Park at least half a block away from the park, so you don't look suspicious. I don't want to take any chances." Piko, who was still driving the car, nodded and headed off.

The park was only a few minutes away, but I was scared. What if I was dealing with a psychopath? What if he tried to hurt Rin? I was an excellent thief, not a fighter. I wasn't sure if I could do anything to protect her. In a fit of frustration, I hit my fist against the car door. The sudden noise caused Gramps and Piko to jump, but they said nothing. It was so irritating. I wasn't able to do anything to protect a person I cared about except fulfill her kidnapper's demands.

We arrived at the park, where everything was pitch black. The rain had stopped, but the remaining clouds covered the moon. There was no light. With the crown in my hands, I got out of the car and entered the park. I couldn't sense anyone there. What if this was a trap? I continued to walk through the park. There was a large fountain in the center, which was a common meeting spot. If he was going to be in this park, it would be here. I managed to find the fountain in the darkness and took a seat on the side of it.

"I see you came," a deep voice said, startling me. I quickly looked around, but could see almost nothing in the dark. "I have what you wanted," I shouted. "Now give me back Rin." I heard something fall against the ground and give a weak groan. It was Rin. "She's right here," the voice snickered. "Mostly okay. Now, give me what's mine."

"Come closer," I demanded. "I want to see your face. Then, you can have it." I heard the shuffling of feet come towards me. I held my breath in anticipation. There was an outline of a body before me and then it became clearer. The man was tall, taller than me. His hair seemed to blend into the night. It must have been black. It was hard to make out any other distinguishing features, except for his eyes. They were golden and bright. They stood out against the whites of his eyes. I felt a chill run down my spine. Who was this strange man?

I handed him the crown and he took it from my hands. His mouth twisted into a smile and I could see his white teeth. He put the crown on his head and laughed. "It is quite fitting," he grinned. "I'll look forward to adding this to my collection." He started to walk away, the crown still on his head. I looked towards the ground, rushing to find Rin. She was lying only a few feet from me. She was blindfolded and gagged. Her arms and legs were still tied.

I ran to her and started to untie her bonds. Her breath was faint and her body was cold. "I'm here," I whispered as I took her blindfold off. "I'm right here." Her eyes fluttered open. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, so she knew she wasn't alone. She gave a weak cough and looked up at me. "I…" she started. "Am going to kill you…" Even in a situation like this, she couldn't be serious. I gave a sigh of relief that she was okay. She would be fine if I took her home and gave her some medical attention. I was about to help her stand up when I heard the sound of footsteps again behind me.

I quickly turned and saw that man again. He was facing us and he had a gun in his hand. "I almost forgot," he said. "I can't leave any evidence behind. That would ruin my little game." I froze and so did Rin. That bastard! This was all a trap. He wanted me to do his dirty work and then kill me off. I wanted to call Gramps, but I knew if I reached for my phone, he would shoot my hand right off.

I slowly stood up and put my hands up. When standing, I "accidentally" let my phone fall out of my pocket near Rin. I hoped that she would understand what I wanted her to do. "What more do you want?" I yelled. "You have your crown."

"Tsk-tsk-tsk," the man said. "What good is a crown in prison? If I let you live, you might rat me out and I have a perfect record. I'd like to keep it that way."

"You've done this before?"

"Many, many times," the man laughed. "Though this is the first time I've done business with an honorable thief. Instead of stealing for personal gain, you seem to run a strange lost and found. It's unique, I must admit. It'll be a shame to watch you go. You have many fans here."

"I've worked hard to build a reputation," I chuckled. I tried to keep the small talk going. If I could keep him going for a few minutes, maybe I could save Rin and me. "Well, not time for dilly dallying," the man sighed. "I have an appointment to keep in France. There are some precious gems I've got my eye on and a petty thief who will get them for me. Au revoir, as they say." He clicked his gun and was ready to fire.

"Wait!" I cried. "Who are you? Really?"

"The people in the business call me the Black Cat," he began. "But we've seem to have connected on a more personal level, so you can call me Rei." As he spoke, I could hear movement throughout the park. Could it really be…?

"You know my name in the trade," I smiled. "But you can just call me Len." With that, Rei held up his gun and shot the first bullet. Immediately, I ducked down and threw myself on top of Rin. I didn't want anything to hit her if the bullet ricocheted. Suddenly, the park was illuminated with a thousand lights. All around us were police officers and standing in front was Gumi with a megaphone in hand. "Put your hands where we can see them!" she said. "You're under arrest!"

Rei dropped the gun, knowing that a hundred others were pointed right at him. Officers emerged and handcuffed him. The crown fell of his head and onto the ground. I watched as Rei was dragged off into a police car. He seemed in awe and amazed. He had never faced an opponent quite like the Masked Gentleman, I guess. As he was taken away, Gumi ran over to Rin and me.

"Rin!" she cried, helping Rin off the ground. "What happened to you? Your dad said that you weren't home and everyone was so worried. You look awful!" Rin was struggling to stand. It was obvious that Rei had given her some hardcore drugs to keep her quiet. She didn't say anything in response to Gumi. She was silent. "I'll take her," I said, taking Rin from Gumi's arms and putting her in mine. "I can take her home and treat her. My grandfather and I can get her to the hospital and have the drugs flushed out of her system." Gumi nodded in agreement.

"Go quickly," she said. "I don't know what kind of condition she's in. But before you go, what were the both of you doing in the middle of the night with one of the world's most wanted thief and murderer?"

"Rin, needs to get to the hospital. I'm sorry. We can explain everything later." With that, I took Rin to Gramps's car and we headed to the hospital.

* * *

 **Rin's POV**

My head was pounding and the entire night was a blur. All I remembered was calling the police was Len was confronting that crazy kidnapper. I temporarily lost consciousness and when I woke up, I was in the hospital, yet again. I can't seem to get away from this place. When I woke up, Len had his head lying on the bed. He was fast asleep. What another crazy mess we had gotten ourselves in. I poked his forehead in an effort to wake him up. He gave a groan, but didn't wake up. So, I flicked him on the forehead. Hard.

That got him up. "What the heck?" he moaned as he looked up at me. His annoyed face was immediately replaced with concern. "Are you okay? Do you need some water? Can I get you anything?" he said. "I'm fine," I laughed. "I feel better. What did the doctors do?"

"They flushed your system and gave you some IV's. They said you should be fine, but we won't be fine when we try to explain to your dad and Gumi what happened last night."

"That's on you," I frowned. "It was all your fault."

"Yes, it was and I'm really sorry." I paused for a moment to soak in those words. He was apologizing and it felt good. "And I'm really done know with this whole thief thing. The world will never hear from the Masked Gentleman again."

"What a shame," I sighed. "He was cute, unlike someone I know." Len frowned, which caused me to giggle. "You owe me big time for this, so how about we make another deal since you seem to keep breaking all the ones we already had," I proposed. Len leaned forward, intrigued.

"Let's date," I said bluntly. "For real. And to make it official, you have to kiss me. It's pretty embarrassing for you that I've been the only one to initiate a kiss in this relationship." Len turned red and looked away. For as cocky as he could be, he was also a loser. He turned back to me and moved a bit closer. Then, he quickly gave me a kiss on the lips. It was good. I felt like I could heal a thousand times faster.

He pulled back and looked away from me. "You know," I started. "I love you."

"Yeah, whatever. I love you too."


End file.
